


In this Life

by ScarletAffection



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Titans (Shingeki no Kyojin), Eventual Levi/Eren Yeager, F/M, Levi is In Denial (Shingeki no Kyojin), Levi is a bit OoC, Levi/Eren Yeager-centric, Longhair Levi, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:29:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 37,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26765812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletAffection/pseuds/ScarletAffection
Summary: In a new era ushered by a progressive monarchy, the Scouts have been transformed from a purely military organization to a force in enacting necessary change for the people who are living outside of the walled cities. For centuries, people who live outside the walls have been doomed to a life of misery, poverty, and neglect. The rejuvenized Scouts have their work cut out for them as they welcome a batch of new recruits from the privileged youth of the walled cities, can they smooth out their differences and work together for the common good? And will Love survive in an atmosphere of loss, grief, and betrayal?
Relationships: Jean Kirstein & Eren Yeager, Levi/Eren Yeager, Levi/Petra Ral
Comments: 7
Kudos: 7





	1. Follow the leader

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is a multi-chapter fiction about what life would be in the Shingeki no Kyojin universe if there were no Titans and the conflicts are between classes and from foreign invaders. I am warning you that Eren and Levi would be paired with different characters throughout the fic but it will still be Eren and Levi-centric, we just need the other characters to flesh out the story. Also, Levi might be a bit different in the first few chapters, he has long hair and not that snarky yet because there is a reason for that. There are also parts about confused sexuality but in this particular setting, it is not that taboo anymore for same-sex relationships to exist in the military. There would be modern technology that is originally unavailable in the Shingeki no Kyojin universe but is needed to adapt to the modernity of perspective because they always go hand-in-hand.  
> Eren would still be...Eren. 
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin and any of the characters mentioned. Only the plot and storyline is originally from me and my twisted mind.

“How far do we still have to walk?”

Eren’s legs are sore and stiff from hours of walking. He along with several other youths is on their way to the current headquarters of the Recon Corps. They will be helping out with a lot of technical tasks as the focus of the Scouts’ work has shifted considerably with the coronation of the new queen. While the Military Police is in charge of maintaining peace and order within the walled cities, the Scouts used to function as the external defense of the walled cities against bandits and foreign invaders that attempt to take over the Eldian’s vast plantations, farmlands, and fish ports for their own utilization.

Eren has long been looking forward to venturing outside of the walled cities. He has heard of the dire situation that has long plagued the villages outside of the walls due to the centuries of neglect and indifference that these people suffered from the previous monarchs who ruled the walled cities. These monarchs and nobles inhabited Wall Sina, the innermost city populated by the richest families in the land. After Wall Sina is Wall Rose, inhabited by the landlords, wealthy businessmen, and high-ranking military and government officials. Eren’s family lived within Wall Maria since his father was a respected doctor and his mother used to be a primary school teacher. Wall Maria is inhabited by the professionals, the small businessmen, the artisans, and the artists. Most of them are well-educated and have access to all the best quality education in all three cities within the walls. As the people living within the walls enjoyed a sheltered and privileged life, the villages outside of the walls have been fending for themselves against outside intruders and harsh forces of nature. They bear the brunt of producing the nation’s food and other products but have been treated with disdain and contempt by the members of the nobility.

All of that changed when it was discovered that the line of monarchs holding power was not even the true descendants for the throne. Historia, a girl who went to the same university as Eren was found out to be the last living descendent of the true royal bloodline which the current king’s relations attempted to annihilate. Turned out, Historia was an illegitimate child. Her mother was a prostitute who did not want anything to do with Historia and her father that she immediately gave her up to the local orphanage after she was born. But local ruling factions got wind of Historia’s existence and used her as a trump card to end the current royal family’s reign of corruption and greed.

Having been born and raised in the underprivileged side of society, Historia immediately implemented major changes in ruling the nation. She changed the orientation of the Scouts, turning them from a purely military force to a more well-rounded organization; tasked to defend the surrounding villages from bandits and intruders while facilitating the necessary interventions to make life better for those living in detestable conditions outside the walled cities. She enlisted the help of the major universities inside the walled cities to help with the major task of facilitating the building of schools, hospitals, and other basic services outside of the walled cities. Eren was only too happy to volunteer for this task since he has always looked up to the Scouts ever since he was a small boy and has long dreamed to explore the world outside of the walls.

But Eren was not prepared for the long walk after the extremely bumpy carriage ride that they took as they left the safety of Wall Maria. They left Shiganshina, Eren’s hometown very early in the morning, met up with the other youth from different parts of the walled cities, all eager to take part in rebuilding their nation from the ashes of mediocrity and incompetence.

Aside from Eren, there were also his childhood friends Mikasa and Armin who both signed up for the immersion once Eren signified his intention to join the Scouts. Youth from other universities also joined them and thanks to the long and bumpy carriage ride, Eren got to know all of the members of that group. There was the funny couple Connie and Sasha who both came from Ragako University plus Mina who went to Shiganshina University with Eren and Armin. Mikasa is a scholar at Trost State University being the prodigy that she was. All of them just graduated from their respective schools last March and raring to find their niche in the new system that Queen Historia introduced two summers ago. They were practically buzzing with excitement all through the bumpy ride and the discomfort did little to dampen their spirits.

After four hours of traversing rough and bumpy trails, Eren and the others were alighting from the carriages and traversing a half-beaten path through the forest. Having lived a relatively easy and sheltered life, most of the youths didn’t find the walk easy at all especially since they are all carrying their own backpacks containing their personal belongings and other essentials needed to survive in the middle of nowhere, far from stores and other basic services that they took for granted before. It was like a jungle survival crash course and Eren thought that maybe he bit off more than he could chew this time. Three of the Military Police escorts who rode their horses alongside their carriage dismounted from their steeds to travel with the group on foot. They left their horses with the other escorts who opted to stay behind. After checking their issued firearms, the military police escorts led by a certain Nile proceeded to lead the group through the path while the remaining two escorts opted to position themselves at the end of the line. Before setting off, Nile addressed the group sternly.

“We would be walking in a single file formation. You are directly responsible for the person in front and behind you, make sure that the line would not be broken and nobody will get lost. No talking and other unnecessary noises allowed while walking, we would not want to attract unwarranted attention especially from the wrong crowd.” There was palpable tension in the air as the gravity of their current situation dawned upon them. Quietly, the group started off. 

The youngsters had their work cut out for them. After almost an hour of quiet and careful trudging, the harshness of the terrain started to wear down the previously vibrant aura of the youth. They were having a hard time catching up to the steady but agile strides of Nile in front of them. Eren was not your usual soft and sheltered college kid, he was quite athletic and he used to suit up for their university’s track and field team. But running through long, paved roads did not hold a candle to the terrain that they were currently trudging. The path was barely there, littered with errant tree roots, fallen logs, and mossy boulders. Sometimes they had to navigate narrow passageways, having to squeeze themselves into the hard rock surfaces to avoid plunging into the ravine on the other side. All throughout their journey, not a word was spoken and the atmosphere was gloomy at best until they came into a small clearing and they saw four people waiting for them there. The signature green cloak worn by these people indicated that they are Scouts and they will be taking over from here. Nile gave a curt nod to the group and they all nodded their heads in acknowledgment before Nile turned to the youngsters.

“We will be taking our leave now. The Scouts will be accountable for you from here on. Stay safe everyone.” With those words, Nile and the two other members of the Military police went back to the direction that they came from leaving the youngsters at the hands of the four strangers that they now know to be members of the famed Scouts.

One of the Scouts eyed the group apprehensively, noting their weary faces and heavy footsteps. He was somewhat short but his broad shoulders and toned arms exude an aura of strength and authority. He had a long firearm casually slung over his shoulders and his long black hair was tied securely in a neat bun atop his head but wisps of his long bangs hung past his eyebrows, shielding his eyes from curious onlookers. Eren looked at him with interest, it was his first time to meet a scout up close and personal. The man had a sharp jawline and thin lips, his face was also surprisingly smooth and stubble-free, not the way Eren imagined soldiers to be. An awkward cough drew Eren’s attention to the present, realizing with a start that he had been subtly checking out the man in front of him. His cheeks heated up in embarrassment and he rubbed his cheeks absently, pretending to wipe away sweat and whatever grime managed to cling to his face. Not that his hands were any cleaner.

“Well, I’m glad you managed to arrive here in one piece, kids.” The raven-haired man said with a ghost of a smile in his lips. “The name’s Levi but I am also known as Corporal here in the Scouts. These nice fellows here are Reiner, Berthold, and the reluctant muse over there is Annie.” The man known as Levi nodded to his companions nearby. Reiner was a tall, muscular blonde who looked quite imposing while Berthold was black-haired, lanky, and taller than all of them. Annie was a quiet, blonde girl who is as tall as Eren and Mikasa but seemed more intimidating and mature as she held to her unfamiliar looking firearm like she would hold a handbag.

Levi continued, running a hand through his raven bangs to try to push those away from his eyes which Eren noticed were very sharp and intimidating in their cobalt blue hue; “We are the ones tasked to lead your group to our humble base which is still quite a long way from here. I’m afraid that with your current pace, we will not be able to reach our destination before dark, and traversing the forest at night is out of the question.”

Eren could not hold off a reaction. “Why?” he said, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Because we are not allowed to use lamps or any kind of light while walking. These forests are treacherous and more so during the night. We could run into wild animals, bandits, or fall into inconspicuous cliffs and ravines. The commander would have my head on a platter if even a hair on your heads were harmed. So stick together, kids, and don’t wander out on your own. There is a big difference between brevity and recklessness.” An uneasy silence fell among the newcomers as the possibility of camping out in the middle of a forest seemed a very unsettling probability.

“Don’t worry because we are well-acquainted with this part of the forest. We just need to walk a bit further so we can camp near a stream, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to sleep with all that grime sticking into your bodies.” There was a collective sigh of relief as fatigue set in the newcomers’ bodies. “Better haul yourselves forward, kids! We don’t have all day.”

The group moved forward with a groan. Levi took the lead, followed by Annie while Reiner and Berthold; both armed with long firearms each, positioned themselves at the end of the line. Eren and his companions were sandwiched between the armed Scouts, giving them a certain feeling of security.

Eren was practically starstruck with the Scouts. Seeing his childhood aspiration brought to life by these seemingly stoic people holding unfamiliar firearms made him giddy despite the fatigue that he was feeling from their long journey. The air of danger and adventure in their current predicament also heightened Eren’s senses and he felt a new rush of adrenaline powering his sore limbs so that he can walk faster and keep up with Annie’s brisk yet graceful strides. A whimper from the middle of the line drew Eren’s attention backward as he stopped walking to see what is going on. Mikasa placed a hand on Eren’s shoulder before speaking close to his ear.

“Mina has sprained her ankle, please inform the Corporal.” Eren nodded and looked towards Annie who has stopped walking and is now looking at Eren with questions in her blue eyes. Eren approached her to pass the message leaning close to whisper the words. Annie nodded and made a short hooting sound resembling an owl’s cry to get Levi’s attention. Levi, who was already quite a distance ahead looked back to them at the sound as Annie held out her palms toward the raven-haired man and gently extended her elbow sideward like some kind of a secret signal. Levi nodded and approached them gesturing wordlessly to Annie to keep her eyes on their front as he quietly walked past them to see for himself the gravity of their current situation. After a few minutes, Levi returned with Mina limping beside him while the man’s arm was casually wrapped around her waist as one of the girl’s arms are hoisted in those broad shoulders for support since she cannot put weight on her injured foot.

Eren felt a tinge of envy at how close Mina was to the stoic Corporal. He even thought that getting injured today wouldn’t be a bad thing at all if it will get Corporal to put his toned arms around him too. _Wait, where did that come from_? _Barely 24 hours with the Scouts and Eren has a crush already_? Eren willed that inappropriate thought aside as he thought of ways to be of help in this situation. But before he can speak, Levi has already formulated a solution for their current predicament.

“Mina here can’t walk anymore so Annie would have to carry her until we come to a relatively safer place. Fortunately, it was just a sprain and with a few hours of rest, she may be able to walk again in the morning. Moreover, I need someone to carry her backpack for her…”

“I can carry her backpack.” Eren eagerly volunteered but was crestfallen when Levi gently shook his head.

“Preferably a girl. It’s unsanitary for a male’s sweat to mix with a female’s unless during sex.” Eren turned beet red with embarrassment at the crude remark. It seems that the Corporal has a potty mouth after all.

“I can do it.” Mikasa piped in from behind Eren. Levi wordlessly handed Mikasa the disputed backpack and Mikasa took it looking at Levi with the same amount of haughtiness. Eren thought that the two are very much alike with their raven black hair and piercing eyes coupled with a snarky personality that is both endearing and irritating at the same time. Annie then proceeded to pick up Mina and carried her in her back as Levi took her somewhat short firearm and slung it into his own shoulder before proceeding to walk back to his own position at the front of the line. Annie followed with Mina on her back, then Eren, Mikasa with two backpacks in tow. She wisely placed Mina’s backpack in her front so as not to upset her balance. Following Mikasa was Armin then Sasha and Connie with Berthold and Reiner keeping their places at the end of the line. They all walked in silence as the sun started to dip below the horizon.

It was almost dark when they came upon a small clearing and the sound of water instantly perked up their dulled senses. At least they could now get some rest. Eren could barely lift one foot over the other and the others; with the exception of Mikasa of course, are in no better shape either. Annie carefully lowered Mina into a fallen log so the girl can sit comfortably. Mikasa approached Mina to give her back her backpack as Annie left them to join Levi and the other Scouts in a huddle near the stream. The sound of the water made it impossible to overhear what they were talking about. After a few more minutes, Reiner went on to build a small fire behind a large rock while Berthold and Annie effortlessly climbed and positioned themselves on top of nearby trees, maybe to serve as lookouts while Levi gathered the rest of the group at the edge of the clearing.

“As you can see, we will be spending the night in this clearing. I am assuming that you all have your own sleeping bags with you since the night gets awfully cold in this part of the woods. There would be separate sleeping areas designated for the males and females, this is to discourage any inappropriate conduct in a night when you should be catching up on your strength in preparation for our journey tomorrow. If anything untoward happens during our stay here, Annie and Berthold will make sure to lead you kids to a safer place while Reiner and I will try to hold off any threat as long as we can. I know that some of you kids can fight but since this is a different kind of conflict and we are the only ones armed here, it would be better if you just follow orders for now. The water here is clean and you can bathe on it. Just don’t do your laundry or you would be lugging heavy, wet clothes for the duration of our journey. For drinking water, there is a spring behind that big-ass rock that Reiner built the stove on. For tonight, we would have to make do with our power bars and some canned food since we do not have the proper utensils to cook. I expect you to be up early as we will leave this area by exactly 0600 hours.”

With the commanding tone and the detailed instructions, it finally dawned on Eren that he was really in the presence of his childhood heroes, the Scouts. The feeling both unnerved and exhilarated him. Levi took the silence as concurrence and he curtly dismissed the group.

“Do your own personal businesses, kids. And Mina, make sure you get enough rest and don’t aggravate that ankle of yours. We still have a long way to go tomorrow.”

Mina smiled demurely at the Corporal. “Yes, Corporal. Sorry for the trouble.”

“Think nothing of it,” Levi replied nonchalantly as Eren resisted the urge to roll his eyes against the stoic Scout. _What is the matter with him? Is he jealous of Mina?_ Eren shook his head briskly as if to clear some unwanted thoughts as he walked towards the stone that he had placed his backpack against.

This is going to be one long night.


	2. Drunk with Poison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and the gang finally arrive at the Scout's camp. There they meet the other Scouts and finally come face-to-face with Commander Erwin Smith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is a somewhat long chapter but it couldn't be helped since I had to put in some characterizations for the others. Just to clarify, their technology is somewhat similar to our current technological capabilities but Eldia in this fic is somewhat lagging behind their neighboring countries due to the issues with the monarchy so do not be surprised if there are wristwatches, two-way radios, and other seemingly modern pieces of equipment. The timeline in this is somewhat close to the present but because of the Survey Corps' current situation, they are somewhat left to their own devices. I took great liberties in imagining a world outside of the walls so there would be made-up names of villages and places.
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin nor any characters in this fic.

Levi woke up to the sound of birds singing in the trees. The sun has not yet reared its brilliant rays above the horizon and the camping site was quiet. He rubbed his exposed arms briskly to get rid of the goosebumps that formed when his previously warmed body hit the chilly morning air. Trying to smooth his hair back into a somewhat orderly manner, he just sighed and haphazardly pulled back the silky strands into a tight bun at the back of his head. With his hair out of the way, Levi slid out of the hammock that he brought with him for this particular trip and fastened his cloak tightly at the base of his neck while pulling the hood lower to keep his face warm. He checked his wristwatch and was relieved when the display read 04:50. It was still early so he can still do a reconnaissance of their immediate surroundings and maybe find an easier route towards their destination. Slinging his trusted firearm into his shoulder, he stepped out of the temporary shelter that he had made for himself, rolling his shoulders to get rid of the tension that has built up during the night. He saw Berthold and Reiner high into the branches of a nearby tree, sipping hot tea from their aluminum mugs as they stared at the horizon. Annie was busy shoving sticks as firewood into a makeshift stove created with three big rocks formed into a triangle, boiling water with the use of hollow bamboo tubes with rolled-up leaves as covers. Annie looked up as she felt Levi approach.

“Better wake up the brats, Annie. I’ll just scout our route. Save me some hot water.” Annie nodded as Levi passed her by.

With sure and steady steps, Levi retraced the route that they used coming from their base, checking for some new obstacles that they might not have noticed yesterday. He was sure that the newcomers would be sore and sluggish after all that walking and he did not want to put them through the same ordeal today. He drew out his trusted bolo which was safely sheathed in a wooden scabbard that he had made himself, ready to clear the path of any wayward branch or offending roots that might cause a similar accident from yesterday, they could not afford to have to carry another one of those brats. Although Levi would admit that those brats have some kind of spunk in them; they never complained and followed orders thoroughly. And Mina was also kind of cute although a bit too dainty for this kind of environment.

Levi remembered that he never got to ask the names of their wards. He just assigned names for each of them in his mind. The couple which he secretly called Buzz and Bundle owing to their hairstyles. There is also the blonde coconut and the feisty raven-haired girl who reminds him of his own mother because of her piercing gaze and no-nonsense demeanor. And lastly, the emerald green-eyed boy who he secretly refers to as Bright Eyes because of the way his eyes mirror every emotion he feels. Bright Eyes looked star struck when he saw them in their complete Scout uniform and firearms. Maybe he is one of those dreamy-eyed kids who looked up to the scouts as some sort of superhero because of their adventures outside the walls. Levi has caught Bright Eyes looking at him numerous times and he is curious about what might be going on in the brat’s mind.

Checking his wristwatch again, Levi noticed that almost half an hour had passed since he left his group. He decided to go back to the clearing, the hot water would not last all morning and he is dying for a cup of tea.

At exactly 0600 hours, the group set off for the remainder of their journey. Mina can now walk by herself with the aid of a walking stick that Levi fashioned out from a sturdy reed that grew near the stream. Levi estimated the time of their arrival to be around 1200 hours, just in time for lunch. The brats would be starving by that time so Levi kept a look-out for any fruit trees that they may pass along the trail. Luckily, Levi spotted a guava tree that was teeming with fruits not far from the trail that they were following. The youngsters were both shocked and astonished when Levi proceeded to pick out the pear-shaped, green fruits from the lowest branches of the tree. When Levi offered the strange fruit to them, they were overcome with curiosity and hunger that they took one each and sank their teeth greedily into the fleshy part of the fruit.

"But these are mostly seeds, many small seeds," Sasha commented as she gingerly chewed on the fruit.

“They are all edible, trust me. Boosts your immunity and gives you an energy boost too. You can spit out the seeds if you don’t feel comfortable eating them.” Levi offered as he munched on his own fruit, silently observing the reaction of the youngsters around him.

"Hmm, these are actually good," Eren mumbled around a mouthful of fruit.

“Everything tastes good if you are tired and hungry.” Mikasa deadpanned which earned a slight twitch in the corner of Levi’s mouth.

“Well, sorry if these are not up to your standards, kid. But we have to make do with what we have. We did not expect your journey to last that long so we failed to catch the chicken that was reserved for guests as important as you brats.” The group suddenly fell silent.

Armin was the one who broke the silence. “I’m sure Mikasa did not mean it that way.”

Levi tersely replied. "Well, whatever she meant, it might be better if I will be upfront with all of you. The Scouts have a limited budget from the Capitol because not everyone is keen on sponsoring expeditions that do not bring money to the government's coffers. So we have to be creative and make the most of what little we've got. So I am giving you fair warning, brats. If you are only after the benefits and privileges that being a soldier entitles you to, you should apply for the Military Police or even the Garrison Corps, never the Survey Corps. Life is hard as fuck with us and if you are not up to it, then you better reconsider your options. It is not yet too late to back out.” Another heavy silence as the youngsters fell into a contemplative mood.

“Well, I kind of expected that it is hard to be a Scout. But you are doing so much for Eldia.” Eren enthused, eager to lift up the mood once more.

“Well, thank you for the compliment, Bright Eyes. Sadly, not everyone shares your glowing review of us.” There was sadness in Levi’s eyes as he looked at Eren and the latter felt a faint stab in his chest at the sight.

“The name is Eren and I will do everything in my capabilities to be of service to the Scouts.” Eren even tried giving a snappy salute, thumping his right fist against his chest while his left fist thumped against his back. Levi suppressed a chuckle at the boy’s eagerness.

“Good for you, kid.” Levi murmured fondly as he turned his back on the group. “We should get going; they are expecting us to be there by lunch.” The group nodded in agreement as they fell back into their walking formation.

“Chicken soup never tasted this great!” Eren hummed as he attacked his food with gusto.

“Yeah! And the rice is fragrant and delicious too!” Sasha added as she inhaled the aroma of the steaming food laid before them. They were seated in a roughly made wooden table with wood stumps serving as seats. The base has a homey feel to it even if it is quite obvious that the camp is still under construction. They used crudely cut logs as tables and the beams holding a thick kind of plastic material to serve as roofs are actually straight branches from young saplings growing in the area. It was like one, big camping event; well save for the soldiers carrying real firearms hurrying to and fro to attend to whatever task still needed to be done that day.

Their meal was a simple local dish consisting of chicken sautéed in ginger, garlic, and onions before being smothered with bite-sized chunks of a fleshy, green, vegetable that Eren is not familiar with. The broth warmed their starving stomach and the rice brought the energy back into their tired limbs. Even if they had not showered yet, Eren already felt rejuvenated and excited for the meeting that will be held later that day with the commanding officers of the Survey Corps. That meeting will serve as their orientation to what their task would be with the soldiers considering that they have not yet received any formal military training that is required for one to officially be enlisted in the military. Eren could almost feel his head swimming with proposals that he wanted to present to the leaders of the Scouts with regards to the literacy program that they are planning to launch in a couple of months. This is part of the efforts of Queen Historia to give the people living outside the walled cities access to education, health care, and other basic services that have long been denied to them by the past regimes. 

Eren’s attention was caught by someone passing through his peripheral sight. That certain someone has his long, unbound black hair reaching just below his shoulders, and a white towel placed atop his head indicated that the person had just showered. Eren’s breath hitched as he admired the Corporal's short yet ripped physique. Strength and confidence practically emanate from the man's every step despite his short stature. He looks way better in his Scout uniform without the green cloak, the crisp, white shirt outlining the defined muscles of the man's chest, arms, and back. The undone top button gave an enticing glimpse of the Corporal’s prominent collar bones and the khaki material of his tight pants hugged the man’s well-shaped butt like a lover before the material disappeared into the brown, thigh-high leather boots that looked sexy as hell. Eren gulped involuntarily, feeling a shiver run through his spine.

 _Not yet one day in the Scouts and he was already lusting after his superior, is he really that lonely and desperate?_ Eren inwardly groaned before turning his gaze somewhere else. He is already itching to get out of his filthy and sweaty clothes, have a nice warm bath, and sleep in a real bed after a whole night of tossing and turning in his sleeping bag, feeling paranoia creeping all around him at his first experience of sleeping outdoors, exposed to all the elements and cocooned only in the warmth and safety of his sleeping bag. He ventured to finish his meal as fast as possible, while Armin just looked at him with a puzzled look on his face.

“Going somewhere, Eren?” Armin grabbed Eren’s arm to get his attention.

“Uhm, I think I really need a shower.”

“Well, I would like one too.” Armin started to get up when Mikasa spoke.

“I don’t think they have showers here.” She said in her usual deadpan manner.

“Why not, Mikasa?” Eren challenged her. Give it to Mikasa to always point out the worst in every situation. But Eren had to admit that most of the time, she was right.

“Does this place look like they have fine plumbing and electricity powered-water heaters? They don’t even have normal chairs.” Mikasa said evenly, her hand indicating the tree stumps that they were using as chairs in the dining area.

“Uhm, but I just saw Corporal and he seems to have just showered.”

“Well, maybe he just dunked his head into the stream.” Mikasa seemed serious in poking fun at the vertically-challenged soldier but Eren was not having any of it.

“Very funny, Mikasa. Come on, Armin. Let’s get out of these filthy clothes.” Eren started to stand up but a voice behind him froze him into place.

“Well, don’t you think it’s still too early for those things, Bright Eyes?” Eren turned around too quickly that he almost stumbled upon Levi who was standing close, too close to their place in the long dining table.

“Ehm, again…it’s Eren, please don’t go on giving me nicknames…Corporal.” Eren prayed to any gods present that Levi would not detect the nervousness in his voice brought by the fact that if Eren so much as sneezed a bit too strong he would end up kissing the shorter man square in those thin yet devastatingly tempting lips. _Wait, what?_

"Oh, I apologize for my rudeness. I was not able to catch all your names earlier, was I?" There was a hint of a smirk on those lips but the eyes remained emotionless. "Why don't you introduce yourself properly, kids? The commander isn't due for another hour so we have lots of time in our hands for now. Let's start with you, blondie.” Levi tipped his head towards Armin. Armin cleared his throat before speaking up, executing a snappy salute as he did.

“I’m Armin Arlert, I went to Shiganshina University with Eren Jaeger and Mina Carolina. I think you know them already. My major is Political Science.”

“Eren Jaeger from Shiganshina University and my major are Linguistics and Comparative Literature."

“Mikasa Ackerman, from Trost State University. I took up Industrial Engineering.

“Mina Carolina, also from Shiganshina University. My major was Public Administration.”

“Connie Springer, from Ragako University. Major in Public Health and Safety.”

“Sasha Blouse, also from Ragako University. Major in Food Technology.”

Levi hummed in amusement. These kids have very promising futures yet they opted to volunteer for the Scouts who can’t actually offer anything in return aside from the opportunity to see society’s poorest and most depraved up close. He hoped the brats are ready to be disillusioned.

“Well, not bad, kids.” The other Scouts also approached their little group. “Since we would be spending at least a week working together, I better introduce you to the Scouts who are stationed here. As you can see, this is not a permanent headquarters since we cannot afford to maintain one when the situation is still as volatile as two years ago when we first started the missions according to Queen Historia’s directive. Commander Erwin would be the one to give you a more detailed briefing about our situation and what your tasks will be.” Levi looked around him and nodded to the men around him who have been eyeing the newcomers with interest. “I will let my comrades introduce themselves and you can ask them anything you need to know about our camp rules and whatever else. I still have to make some arrangements for our meeting with the Commander later. They would show you where your rooms will be and you can clean up before our meeting.” With that, Levi walked away. The other Scouts looked at the youngsters nervously. The dark-haired guy with a liberal dusting of freckles in his face broke the awkward silence.

“Hi, I’m Marco Bodt and I also went to Shiganshina University before. My Major is in Psychology." Then the tall guy with a two-toned hair and a face longer than usual went next.

“I’m Jean Kirchstein and I’m from Trost but I did not go to university. I used to work for a businessman before I joined the Scouts." A black-haired man with a weird spiky hairstyle spoke next.

“I’m Gunther Schultz. I’m from one of the villages in the area, Emerke. We are mostly farmers there.” A blond guy who is as tanned as Eren spoke next.

“Thomas Wagner, also from Shiganshina but I did not go to the university at all. I used to work as a blacksmith.” They took turns shaking hands with one another, visibly happy with the presence of newcomers in their camp. Marco, the jolliest from the group offered to show them to their bunkers, asking permission from Gunther who seemed to be one of the persons-in-charge of things in the camp.

“Thank you, Marco. Please see to it that they can clean themselves up before the meeting later. We want them to be as comfortable as possible despite the limitations of our camp." Gunther sounded almost embarrassed and Eren thought that maybe Mikasa’s deductions weren’t really that far from reality. Marco then motioned to the group to follow him with Jean trailing not too far behind. They walked through several crudely-constructed settlements and climbed over man-made steps before they made it into the bunkers that would be their temporary residences while the meeting and consultation with the Scouts are ongoing. Marco raised the flap that serves as the bunker’s door and they can see double deck beds with sparse bedding.

“I’m sorry we do not have proper mattresses here, they are too burdensome to be carrying around. I also assume that you all have your own sleeping bags so the cold wouldn’t be too much of a problem. The boys will be staying in this bunker while the girls will be staying with Annie in the other bunker.” Marco pointed at another bunker much like this one but standing at the other side of the little stream coming from the mountains. “Jean, can you accompany the females to their bunkers?”

“No problem, let’s go there and have you gals all settled down.” The girls followed Jean back down the path where they came from. When they were gone, Marco beamed at Eren and the others.

“Annie would be thrilled to finally have company. She has been alone in the girl’s bunkers ever since Rico and Nanaba got married earlier this year.” Eren’s little gay heart skipped a bit with this little piece of information.

“Where do you hold the marriage ceremonies?” Armin was interested to know too since there seems to be no chapel or church near enough for that purpose. Marco chuckled in amusement.

"Well, we usually hold the ceremonies here at camp. But we tend to make some additional decorations to fit the occasion. For the two females' wedding, they wanted lots of sweets so we worked overtime in the sugarcane plantation to acquire the ingredient that is essential yet very expensive if we are going to buy them ourselves. The Scouts are working through a tight budget ever since the world began so we have to be creative and innovative with our ways. It was really hard work but it was all worth it in the end.” Marco rambled on as the newcomers made themselves comfortable in the bunker, occupying the beds who seem to be untouched and unused. Eren can’t hold his curiosity much longer.

“Will you sleep here, too Marco?” Marco’s smile just grew brighter.

“Oh, no. Jean and I have our own bunker just right above yours. We are in charge of communications and we monitor radio frequencies for news and other developments inside the walled cities.” Eren nodded his head in understanding as Armin sat down in one of the empty beds and started to pull out clean clothes from his backpack. Eren sat down to do the same before Connie spoke.

“But this bunker seems to be untouched. Where do the other guys sleep?” Marco smiled again before answering. _Why does this guy seem to be all sunshine and roses?_

“Well, they have their own bunkers in strategic positions around the camp. You see, most of the Scouts are busy with work in some of the villages and sometimes it takes days before they come back so we have to keep the camp secure despite our limited personnel. But they would still be keeping watch while they are staying inside the villages and they can easily reach us when the need arises.” Eren carefully bundled up his change of clothes, he is itching to wash the filth from his skin and hair.

“Pardon me for interrupting but where can we take a bath or relieve ourselves?” Marco chuckled and slightly blushed with the question.

“Of course! I'm sorry I got carried away and neglected to inform you that you can take a shower in that secluded space down the path where we came from before going up here. There is a pipe that serves as the shower but the water is cold because there is no electricity here to power up heaters. Also, we do not have bathtubs here but there is a large basin inside the shower room where you can do your laundry after showering. We have to do our laundry every time we take a bath because we cannot bring too many clothes with us, it takes too much space in our backpacks. Do you know how to do your laundry?” Eren and Armin blushed visibly while Connie let out a confident smile.

“I can do your laundry if you promise to give me part of your food ration. Sasha would love the extra food.” Marco chuckled in amusement again as both Armin and Eren rolled their eyes at Connie.

“Very well, you can all take a bath together because our shower rooms are designed to allow several soldiers at one point in time. Of course, the females have their own shower rooms and males are not allowed there and vice versa. You can do your laundry downstream, the one you passed by before you reached the dining area. But be careful, the current is strong and you might end up losing your clothes if you are not holding them tight enough.” Eren got all the information he needed and after slipping a bar of soap into his pockets, nodded to Armin and Connie. The two nodded in agreement.

“Thanks for all the help, Marco. We would like to get out of these disgusting clothes right now, please lead the way.” Eren smiled sweetly as Marco led them back down the path they came from.

The water coming out from the pipe overhead was nothing short of freezing so the boys quickly finished their shower in record time and proceeded to a shallow part of the river to wash their dirty clothes. Connie had a blast teaching Eren and Armin how to properly wash their clothes since the two have been quite clueless on how to do their own laundry.

“Seriously, guys? Who washes your dirty clothes for you?” Eren blushed furiously before looking at Armin who is also uncomfortable with the topic. Eren cleared his throat with a forced cough before speaking.

“Uhm, you see…my mother wanted me to focus solely on my studies so she does all the household chores herself. She said that it’s a woman’s job to…” Connie interjected harshly before Eren could finish his sentence.

"That's crap you know?! Mothers have to practically run the household from sun up to sun down and it can really be exhausting especially if you have lots of mouths to feed and take care of." Eren bowed his head in shame, he never realized that his mother might be burdening herself too much instead of asking for his help in household chores. As Connie furiously scrubbed their filthy clothing with a bar of laundry soap that they brought with them, Armin found his voice at last.

“Well, you see…Eren is an only child like me. Our parents wanted to give us all the time to concentrate on our studies so we could land good jobs after we graduate.” Connie chuckled bitterly.

“But you chose to join the Scouts instead.” Eren did not miss the sarcasm in the other youth’s voice.

“Well, being a Scout is hard work and has its benefits too.” Eren felt the hard reality behind the lie. Scouts aren’t exactly as well-compensated as the Military Police. That is the reason why people who join the Scouts are looked down as suicidal or masochistic at worse. Who would even dedicate their lives to a cause that would definitely have you killed one way or another? Connie wasn’t finished saying his piece as he added glumly.

“Your family only reaps those benefits if you die in the line of duty.” Armin looked up and saw the indecision in Connie’s eyes.

“Then why volunteer for this, Connie? Are you and Sasha being forced to be here?” Eren was curious. Mikasa and Armin volunteered for the Scouts because Eren was so adamant about joining the Scouts that he even had an argument with his mother about his decision to do so. The trio had been practically inseparable since their childhood and they could not bear to be apart anymore after graduating. Mikasa was able to graduate from the prestigious Trost State University owing to her athletic capabilities that made her team captain of the university’s women’s volleyball team. She was a scholar because she was a varsity player. Armin is the real genius but he can’t leave his grandfather alone in Shiganshina if ever he would be studying at Trost with Mikasa.

“No, Sasha and I have long wanted to get out of our small village. Explore the world outside of the walled cities, be free to be our own person, stand on our own merits and skills…to prove to ourselves that we can be more than what people thought we can be.” There was a brief pause as each person contemplated the facts that surfaced from the unlikely conversation. Armin then let out a bitter chuckle.

“Guess we are all drunk on our own poison. Aside from the fact that Eren had wanted to join the Scouts ever since he was able to read and write, I have long wanted to see the ocean that my grandfather always talked about. Living inside the walls, sheltered and protected from the harsh realities of the world outside makes me feel like I am a prisoner, bound to what society tells me to do. I want to explore the world too and see the places that I saw in my grandfather’s book. Eldia is just one nation and there is a bigger world out there as there is a bigger world outside of the walls." Connie hummed in approval as he wrung the rinsed clothes to remove all the excess water. Eren tried to wring his own clothes properly but did not do a good job with it like Connie so he just huffed in exasperation before adding his thought on the subject.

“Living inside the walls made me feel like livestock or cattle. Bound to a destiny forced upon you by society. Being with the Scouts kind of gives you wings to fly and free yourself from all the shackles of conformity.” Connie laughed hard at this.

“Who knew you were so talented with words, Eren?” Eren tilted his chin up proudly.

“I’m a linguist and I eat fiction for breakfast.” The trio laughed heartily, the tension from before dissipated as they finished doing their laundry and proceeded to hang the wet clothes in the designated area for drying laundry. Connie was still making fun of how the two boy’s clothes were still dripping wet compared to his clothes that he managed to wring properly when their attention was caught by an apparent commotion in the dining area.

There were no loud noises but an excited murmur permeates the atmosphere inside the camp. Eren managed to catch one of the Scouts’ excited voices. It seems that the Commander and his companions have arrived. Eren can make out a form of a tall, muscular blonde, a person who looked like a girl with her long brunet locks and eyeglasses but seems muscular like a man and another guy with light brown locks and a harried expression seemingly brought about by the antics of the boisterous brunet beside him. Eren also noticed another tall, blond guy with an unbelievably pointed nose, thin mustache, and goatee. _So, these must be the powers-that-be of the Survey Corps._ Eren was dying to meet his childhood superheroes in the flesh.

The meeting commenced immediately after the Commander's entourage has freshened up a bit from their long journey. Eren learned that they just came from the Capitol and had some consultations with Queen Historia regarding the developments in their campaign. He learned that the tall, blond guy with blue eyes and icy demeanor was none other than Commander Erwin Smith, the commanding officer of the Survey Corps, and the brunet in goggles was his second-in-command, Hanji Zoe who aside from being the Section Commander also doubles as the top scientist and researcher of the Survey corps. The odd thing about Hanji Zoe is they neither identify as male or female and they would like to be addressed in non-binary pronouns, Eren was not aware that such people thrived inside the military with all their strict rules and no-nonsense demeanor but he was more amused than bothered about that fact. Of course, gender sensitivity has been advancing by leaps and bounds owing to Queen Historia’s progressive mindset. Eren’s unhampered enlistment to the Survey Corps despite his open gayness is proof of this.

The harried man with light brown locks was Moblit Brener and the other blonde guy with a big nose was Mike Zacharias and he is in command of their current camp. Erwin still stays at his office in Scout's headquarters inside the walls because a series of meetings and consultations with the Capitol is still in order and it would be very impractical to travel far for every meeting and also highly dangerous. Erwin Smith is practically a walking target for all the people whose luxurious lives have been imperiled when the Scouts started to meddle with the dynamics outside of the walls. It seems like a lot of wealthy businessmen and landlords have been cashing out from the people’s misery and there have been times when the Scouts were ambushed by private armies or even some rogue members of the Military Police. Queen Historia has opened a can of worms with her bold and revolutionary proclamations. She needs all the help she can get and lucky for her, the Scouts are on her side in this. The Recon Corps actually played a pivotal role in Queen Historia’s ascent to the throne following a coup d etat that overthrew an oppressive regime.

Erwin Smith opened the meeting in a warm welcome that Eren felt that their presence here was more valued than they thought. Most of the high-ranking officers of the Survey Corps are present in the meeting. Corporal Levi is also present, his long, black hair tied back in a neat bun against his nape and he was now wearing the tan jacket emblazoned with the Wings of Freedom emblem over his immaculate white shirt. Eren thought that this guy always managed to look clean despite their rough living conditions in this camp. He was jolted back from his reverie when the Commander’s cool voice broke through the hushed atmosphere of the meeting.

“Will you die if I asked you to?”


	3. Ambivalence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the meeting between the youth and the Scouts commences, Eren finds himself pining for the stoic Corporal. But Levi seems to have set his eyes on someone else. The true nature of the Scouts' new tasks are laid down and the stakes are higher as they have no idea who their true enemies are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was an early update because I did not want to let go of the momentum from the last chapter. Things may seem slow at first but I have to lay down the foundations for this story so that there would be less confusion. The italicized words are from the characters' own POV since this is in the 3rd person POV.   
> If you happen to notice inconsistencies in the plot or storyline, please feel free to point them out since I have no editor or beta therefore, all mistakes are mine and mine alone.
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin nor any of the characters in this story. What came from me originally is only the storyline.

“Will you die if I asked you to?”

The words of Erwin Smith hung heavy in the air. For a moment, no one dared to utter a word. Finally, a blonde coconut had the guts to voice his thoughts out.

“Uhm, with all due respect, sir we don’t want to die yet.” Erwin chuckled in amusement.

“Oh, but you will. All of us will eventually. It’s just a matter of time and purpose.” Hanji playfully patted Erwin’s shoulder, breaking the uneasy silence still permeating the atmosphere.

“Aww, Commander Erwin! You should know better than trying to scare off potential recruits.” Mike snorted beside Erwin.

“I don’t think these kids get scared easily. I can smell their enthusiasm and excitement from here.” The newcomers were a bit mortified by that fact and each one discreetly tried to smell themselves to see if they are really smelling funny. Levi shook his head in amusement before speaking.

“Oi, kids. Don’t mind Squad Leader Mike. He has a penchant for smelling people on their first meeting but that does not mean that you actually reek of something.” There was a collective sigh of relief from the group but Erwin was not yet finished with his opening spiel.

“As I’ve said and as most of you should have realized by now, being part of the Survey Corps entails a lot of hardship and sacrifice and sometimes we are compelled to give more than what we are comfortable to give. With all the new developments in the government, we are facing more enemies than we are even aware of. With that fact, we should always be on our toes. I understand that you are here as volunteers but I want to make a plea to each of you to seriously consider enlisting with the Scouts.” Ewin let that statement hang in the air as Hanji tried to elaborate on what the Commander had said.

“Well, that much is true but at this point, you are still free to go back to your villages after this meeting. Despite our palpable need for your skills and knowledge, we are not that desperate to coerce you into something that you are not ready for. So, we shall proceed with this meeting as usual, and if at any point of your stay here that you find it in yourself that you want to be more involved with this line of work, you are free to approach any of us here." Hanji indicated the Scouts standing inside the room. Eren found the opportunity to ask his question.

“Permission to speak, sir.”

“Granted.”

“But we don’t have any knowledge or training on how to be Scouts.” Eren absently scratched the back of his head as he looked sheepishly to the Scouts in front of him, not daring to look straight into the Corporal’s eyes. He almost jumped when he heard that familiar smooth voice.

“Then we will train you.” Eren turned to look at Levi and he was looking straight at him with his usual stoic expression but with a glint of amusement in those blue-grey eyes. Eren cleared his throat to swallow the lump that started to form there. _This short guy can really melt a person just by staring at them with those dual-colored eyes of his. How can someone be that attractive even if they don’t know how to smile? It just isn’t fair._ Eren was pulled out from his reverie when Connie spoke from behind him.

“Aren’t we a bit too old for that? I heard that cadets train as young as fifteen years old.” Levi almost chuckled at this and Eren saw a ghost of a smile grace the corners of the raven-haired man’s mouth.

“I’m sure that wouldn't be too much of a problem, kid. You all seem trainable enough." Erwin coughed awkwardly to draw attention back to him as Levi clicked his tongue in response but did not say anything. Hanji was the one who broke the awkward silence again.

“So, with all that I think we should begin our consultation.” The newcomers fished out pens and papers from their pockets as Hanji pulled out pieces of paper from the folder that she was holding on to ever since they arrived in this room. “First, let me tell you what we have done so far.”

The meeting went on for days. The newcomers only had time to sleep, eat, take a bath, and do their laundry before being whisked back into the meeting room with Hanji and Erwin. Eren never saw much of Levi on those days and he wondered where the Corporal was spending most of his time nowadays. Not that Eren had enough free time to wonder. He was practically crawling back into their bunkers every night, exhausted to the point of passing out. He did not expect meetings to be more tiring than actual running or any other physical activity. Whoever said that mental activity is more exhausting than any physical activity should be given accolades for getting it right on the money. Eren has never been this tired and he just graduated from college. Finals week did not hold a candle to the hell that is meetings week and Eren was just eager for all of it to be over so that he can go home, take a warm bath, sleep in his nice, soft bed... _Wait! Is he really thinking of going back home? Did he not make up his mind already about joining the Scouts?_ Eren lay awake in his hard bed, exhausted and tired but unable to sleep. It was still too early for him but since there was nothing else to do at this hour, he had no other choice but to rest. Armin and Connie were already tucked into their own sleeping bags and snoring loudly. Eren didn't know Armin snored, maybe the blonde coconut was exhausted too.

Finally giving up on sleep, for now, Eren stood up and quietly lifted the flap of the tent that served as their door. He inhaled the crisp and clear night air and surveyed the darkness around him. It was dark and quiet but he suddenly became aware of voices coming from the other side of the creek. It was coming from the women's bunkers. Eren noticed that the candle was still lit on the other bunkers and he can faintly discern a male voice coming from it. Of course, the women's bunkers would inevitably have male visitors even at this time of the night. It was not too long before the flap lifted and a familiar figure sauntered out from the bunker's opening. Eren felt his breath hitch at the sound of the familiar voice.

“Well, I better be going Mina. Your meeting would start early tomorrow and I wouldn’t want to keep you up all night.” Eren clenched his fist as jealousy gnawed at his chest. _So, the Corporal is here for Mina, huh? Well, there goes the man of my fantasies._

“I wouldn’t mind staying up all night if it was for you, Corporal.” Eren suppressed a hiss as the words reached his ears. He didn’t realize that Mina had it in her to flirt like this. He wanted to strangle the petite girl right then and there. Eren could not see Levi’s face in the darkness but he heard his chuckle. _And Levi was buying all that crap, really? But it seemed too connived, was he a lady's man or something? Well, that wouldn't have been surprising because, despite his short stature, the man was practically oozing with sex appeal._

“I wouldn't want you nodding off to sleep during the meeting. Erwin wouldn't be pleased with that."

“Yes, indeed. Good night, Corporal.” Levi clicked his tongue audibly.

“Tch, call me Levi. Good night, Mina.”

Eren watched from the shadows as Levi finally walked away from the bunker and Mina went back inside. He could feel his heart aching. _Why does Levi have to be straight?_ He slowly traced his steps back to their bunkers and went inside with a heavy heart. He needs to be up early for tomorrow’s meeting so he has to find ways to get some sleep. Eren crawled into the warmth of his sleeping bag and closed his eyes, ignoring the throbbing pain in both his temples and his chest.

Levi woke up in a light mood despite the less than ideal hours of sleep. He had never slept more than four hours each night but it suited him just fine. If he slept fewer hours, there would be the least probability of those nightmares catching upon him. He unbound his long dark tresses and shook them free and they fell in graceful wisps around his small face. Some of the soldiers tell him that he almost looked womanly with long hair but it did not matter to Levi. He liked his long hair and his mother does too. Whenever he comes home to the underground, his mother Kuchel would demand that they sleep together in the same bed since they rarely see each other nowadays. Levi barely had time to visit his mother with the mountains of tasks that the Scouts are encumbered with. As second in command to Mike Zacharias in their temporary camp, Levi oversees a lot of activities and these take up most of his time. He misses the days when they are with Commander Erwin in the Scouts' headquarters inside the walls because his only responsibility then was overseeing his own squad and training new cadets. But since the big shift in the Scout's direction happened, they were forced to divide their forces to maintain a temporary command post outside of the walled cities. Being one of the best Scouts in combat, Levi was placed along with Mike as the ones in charge of their temporary camp outside the walls since it is practically their frontline now.

Levi loved the challenge although he admits that sometimes he misses the amenities that were once available to them inside the walls. Being in the temporary camp almost feels like being back underground; one has to make good of their limited resources to survive. There was no electricity, the radio signal was pathetic and living conditions are far from sanitary. But the fact that half of the nation's population has been living in this condition for centuries keeps the Scouts grounded and determined. They might not be able to immediately alleviate the conditions of the people living outside the walls but at least they have an idea of what can and can't be done in their current predicament. The crucial part is to get the people to trust the Scouts and cooperate with their efforts to improve the outside villages' living conditions. A tall order but still doable and with the fruitful meeting with the youth from the universities, things are looking up more than ever. 

The Corporal smoothed back his ebony tresses to give them some semblance of order. He prided himself on always looking neat and clean despite their less than ideal circumstances. His Uncle Kenny always reminded him that image is almost as important as actual skills and you always have to look the part. Although Levi is confident with his skills, his less than the ideal height is something that has always nagged at him but he is aware of the fact that he can't do anything about it anymore. If anything, he has used this flaw to his disadvantage as people are more inclined to underestimate his capabilities and this has led to lots of victories in battle both in the underground and as part of the Scouts. But despite his strength, Levi is not resting on his laurels. He continues to work hard and train hard, honing his fighting skills to perfection. And he wants to inculcate the proper discipline and skills to all the cadets he has trained that is why he has handled training new recruits as often as possible. The Scouts have a deep respect for the Corporal's impeccable work ethics even if the potty mouth and the crude attitude that he forged to survive in the underground clung to him like a second skin. Shitty attitude aside, he gets the work done well and that is what matters most 

Tying his hair back in a tight bun that rested at the back of his head, Levi reminisces on the events of that week. He has been busy running the camp, coordinating the schedules, accomplishing paperwork, and procuring supplies that the only time he can socialize with the potential newcomers was before bedtime. He has had limited interactions with the boys because they seem to be too wary of him, unlike the girls who are a lot more open to interactions except for the raven-haired girl who he discovered was a distant cousin of his as they shared the same surname. She is as snarky and as abrasive as Levi that he wondered if being nasty runs in the Ackerman genes. But she can tell that Mikasa is such a talented and skilled individual. She would be a good addition to the Recon Corps roster.

Levi had to admit that the recent batch of volunteers is quite promising. They have a certain fire and determination in the way they participated eagerly in the discussions. Especially commendable was Eren Jaeger aka Bright Eyes. The most creative of ideas usually come from him especially with regards to the establishment of literacy centers as precursors to building formal schools in areas that have little to no access to education. The others are also impressive with their innovative ideas and ingenuity. Levi has a soft spot in particular for Mina Carolina whose long black tresses remind him a lot of his mother during her younger and healthier days. He also liked talking to the girl even if she sometimes flirts with him unabashedly. Well, no problem with that since Levi is very much single but he doubts if the said girl would actually enlist in the Recon Corps for a potential relationship. As of now, he would be playing things entirely by ear, no use getting his hopes up for something as trivial as romance at this point.

With the meeting wrapping up this afternoon, Levi expects the camp to be busy again tomorrow since they would be making arrangements for the brats’ return inside the walled cities. Unless anybody expresses a particular desire to stay and enlist in the Survey Corps, it is the standard operating procedure to escort the youth back to the clearing where Nile Dawk and his men would probably be waiting to bring the youth back inside the walled cities. After that, they would be left once more to their own devices. Levi knew that it is his main responsibility to facilitate the safe travel of the brats back up until they have been turned over to the Military Police but part of him loathes the goodbyes. It was awkward and Levi never knew how to deal with goodbyes well since he has lost a lot of people in his life but the pain never lessened with each loss. He would like to believe that he has grown numb but with each loss, fresh wounds seem to reopen inside him and sometimes he wonders how the human heart can endure so much pain without breaking down. But as a Scout, Levi knows that duty comes first and emotions must not play a major part in any decision. As Commander Erwin once told him, he should always make the decision that he would least regret and Levi always chooses to follow his logic than his unstable heart. Fastening his bandolier around his waist securely and slinging his firearm by his shoulder, he stepped out of his sleeping quarters.

The meeting has ended and the newcomers have been making good use of their remaining time in the camp to socialize with the Scouts. Connie has been hanging out with Reiner and Bertholdt who have been cleaning their service firearms in one corner of the camp while Sasha chose to hang around in the dirty kitchen with Nanaba. Annie has been enjoying her sparring sessions with Mikasa lately and the two girls are going at it again in an open field with several spectators who are all in awe at the power and agility that the two females effortlessly demonstrate in their agile movements. Armin and Mina are still busy going over some papers with Erwin and Hanji at the dining area while Eren sits by himself by the stream, lost in his own thoughts. Levi has always been drawn to the boy’s bright eyes because the boy’s emotions can easily be mirrored there but now those eyes looked lost. Levi heaved a sigh before approaching the younger male and sitting beside him, careful to put a comfortable distance between their bodies since Levi is aware of how intimidating he comes across. They just sit there wordlessly before Levi broke the silence.

“So, are you prepared to go back home?” Eren jumped in surprise, he did not realize that he had company before Levi spoke. _How can Corporal have moved closer without Eren hearing his footsteps?_ Eren’s cheeks heated up with embarrassment both at being caught unaware and being close to the Corporal.

“Uhm, actually…no.” Levi’s eyebrow arched in surprise.

"And why is that, if I may ask?" Eren looked at the colors being cast by the setting sun on the clouds above them. He let out a long sigh.

“I want to stay here and be a Scout. But I haven’t talked to my parents about it and I know they will resent me if I did not clear things up with them. My mother is against the idea of me joining the Scouts but my father is more inclined to let me follow my dream. I don’t want to be the cause of their argument anymore.” Eren sighed dejectedly and felt a firm hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t let other people make your choices for you. Your parents will always mean well but you have your own life and you must choose your own path. And you have to live with your choices so you have to choose which decision you will regret the least.” Levi gave Eren a good pat on the younger’s shoulder before withdrawing his hand. Eren looked at Levi and smiled, his emerald green eyes sparkling with a whole gamut of emotions that Levi cannot decipher. _Shit! Who else has eyes like those? They are like gems and why am I looking at his eyes this way? I’m not into young boys as far as I remember._

“Wow, I didn’t expect you to be so eloquent with words, Corporal.” Eren giggled and Levi realized that he liked the sound of this youth’s laughter.

“Those were not my words, brat. Those were the words of a certain blonde commander but it fits your situation. You are going to have to face your parents sooner or later so might as well face them now. It is better to enter the Scouts without any emotional baggage. We are sure to face a lot of hardships and obstacles in the field and each scout must be ready physically as well as emotionally and mentally.” The sun has already set and the fading light gave an aura of somberness into the surroundings. Eren let the Corporal’s words sink into his consciousness and slowly nodded in understanding.

“Then, I think this will be the first battle that I will be winning on the way to become a Scout.” Eren thumped his heart with his fist to make a salute so sloppy that Levi almost laughed but instead he smirked in amusement before clicking his tongue audibly.

“Tch, don’t get too cocky, brat. We still have a long way to go and you really need to work on that salute.” Eren let out a chuckle as if Levi cracked a terrible joke. “Oi, I’m serious, you brat!” Levi debated on whether to punch the brat or to hug him. _Wait, what?_

“Was it really that bad?” 

“Yes, you dumbass! You should do better than that if you are going to be a Scout.”

“Do all Scouts need to have a potty mouth too?”

“No, and they don’t have to be a smartass like you too.”

“I am not a smartass.”

“Then you’re a dumbass, fair enough.” There was an awkward silence as Eren held back another snarky retort. He realized that he shouldn’t be too comfortable with a man who would be his superior eventually. He heaved a sigh of exasperation before speaking.

“I’m sorry, Corporal. I was only joking but I admit that I was out of line there. I shouldn’t have talked to you that way.”

“I’m not angry, you brat. This is just the way I talk to everybody and I also apologize if I have offended you in any way. Believe me, it was never my intention. I was born with a sharp tongue and a snarky attitude.”

“I guess we’re even, then.”

"Let's just call this a draw for now. We will continue after you return IF you will return at all." Eren did not miss the hidden dig at the uncertainty of his return but took it in a stride. He loved joking around with the Corporal even if he gets pummeled with curses and crappy language.

“Oh, don’t get your hopes high yet, Corporal. You won’t get rid of me THAT easily. At school, they even call me Suicidal Bastard because I never know when to give up. Just wait till I get back." Eren risked a friendly pat on the Corporal's shoulder, he wanted to appear as casual as possible to hide his tension brought about the older man's proximity. He did not expect Levi's terse reaction.

“Walk the talk, brat. And you should be sleeping early tonight so you will have enough energy for tomorrow’s journey back. We will be leaving at exactly 0600 so you better be ready to go by that time. Don’t forget to tell your bunkmates that.” Levi stood up to leave, eager to get away from the younger male’s unnerving closeness. It was just a brief and friendly banter but he felt his heartbeat faster than usual and he was afraid that the brat would notice. _It was just a pat on the shoulder, damn it! What is happening to him?_

Eren stood rooted to the ground, dumbfounded at the Corporal’s hasty exit. _Did I say something wrong? What the hell just happened?_

Eren hated goodbyes and it was evident in the lump in his throat that he keeps on trying to swallow in vain. When their group reached the clearing and saw the familiar figure of Nile Dawk waiting for them there, he felt an unmistakable ache in his chest. No words were spoken as the Corporal approached Nile and said something inaudible to the rest of the people in that clearing. Nile just nodded and motioned for his companions to fall into formation. They followed the old formation, traveling in a single file, sandwiched between armed personnel. When they are ready to go, Eren darted a glance to the Scouts who accompanied Levi in their early morning journey; Gunther, Thomas, and Jean all wore the same saddened expression but there is no emotion discernible in Levi's stormy blue-grey eyes. Eren uttered a silent prayer that the Scouts be kept safe all the time since he did not know when they would be permitted to return and formally enlist for the Scouts. They had a lot of tasks to carry out inside the walls and Eren can't predict how long it would take to accomplish all those tasks. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out his thoughts loud enough for everybody present to hear.

“Keep safe always, all of you.” Eren choked back a sob that was threatening to come out of his mouth. He was rewarded by a smirk from Levi. The Corporal shifted his stance before clicking his tongue audibly.

“Tch, don’t worry too much in our account, brat! You should be more concerned about making it out of the forest unscathed. Later, brats! Keep sane and keep safe.” With that, Levi and the others turned on their heels and walked back to the path that they came from. Eren craned his neck to catch a glimpse of the overlapping wings adorning the Scouts’ forest green capes until these too were hidden from his line of sight. Nile broke the silence that permeated the air.

“Let’s go then. We have to get back to the walls before dark. Always be on guard everyone.” Eren couldn’t understand why they still have to be cautious when they are only hours away from the walls and there would be a carriage waiting for them at the edge of the forest.

“Uhm, who actually is our enemy, Sir? Who do we need to be on guard for?” There was a long pause and Eren thought that the Military Police personnel were all ignoring him when Nile spoke up in barely a whisper.

“I wish I knew, kid. Wish we all knew.” Eren did not speak after the cryptic reply and they spent the last remaining hours of their journey in complete silence. It was only when they arrived at the edge of the forest and found the carriage waiting for them did a collective sigh of relief escape from the group. The carriage ride proved to be uneventful even if it was still bumpy and uncomfortable. Eren felt the fatigue overcome him as he slowly nodded off to sleep while the carriage ambled on.

He was roused by a single gunshot.


	4. Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and his friends get tangled up in some trouble as they were about to return home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another slow chapter but essential for the storyline. This is basically Eren being jealous and insecure. 
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin or any of the characters.

The single gunshot was followed by a volley of gunfire. Eren ducked in instinct and the others followed suit. Then an order was barked from Nile.

“Get out of the carriage, all of you!” There was no time to argue as the youth moved like a single person, racing towards the opening at the front and back of the carriage. Shots were coming from the armed escorts that Nile brought with him. Eren crawled over the dirt, making his body as small as possible. The other youths were also sprawled on the ground as bullets flew all around them, making dust and other debris form a cloud of smoke around the terrified youngsters. Mina was shaking with fear while Sasha and Armin were trying to comfort her. Mikasa looked indifferent but alert while Connie and Eren looked around for someplace to take cover as the gunfire continued all around them. Finally, Eren was able to spot a cluster of rocks and big trees not far from the dirt road that they were traversing. He shouted his discovery to the others.

“Let’s make a run for those cluster of rocks and trees, maybe the bullets won’t reach that far.” Connie nodded in understanding.

"And keep low, protect your heads," Connie added and Eren nodded in agreement. Taking in a deep breath, Eren barked out his signal.

“On my count, we will all run. One, two, three!” They all dashed madly towards the area that Eren indicated as the gunfight continued between Nile’s men and their unseen attackers. They found themselves huddled behind the aforementioned cluster of rocks and trees nearby. Eren felt his heart banging loudly against his chest, his adrenaline pumping through his veins. He felt scared yet energized by all the action happening around them. _So this is how it feels to be on the battlefield._ Eren thought to himself as he looked at his companions. They all have the same scared and lost look in their eyes as the gun battle continued. Eren felt scared and helpless since they are with the Military Police and even if they are also skilled fighters, they are not as skilled as the Scouts in handling surprise attacks like this _. If only I had a gun,_ Eren thought.

The Military Police were heavily outnumbered and taken by surprise and Eren felt the gravity of their current situation: Most of them were unarmed and inexperienced in battle, they do not know what fate awaits them in the hands of their attackers. But Nile and company put up a brave front and Eren couldn’t help but respect the man’s brevity and determination to protect them at all cost. But it all proved futile as after almost 10 minutes of firefight, the smoke cleared and Nile and his men ended up bound and badly wounded. The assailants easily rounded up the youngsters and bound all of them along with the wounded MP men. The leader of the attackers was a lanky, dirty man with rotten teeth and shabby clothes. He leered lecherously at all the young persons in front of him, his firearm slung casually over his shoulder as he turned to another tall, dirty man with disheveled hair and the same shabby clothing.

“Hmm, I think we hit the jackpot on this one, Bud?” Eren bravely looked the man in the eye and warily scrutinized the man’s companions. There were five of them, all armed and filthy with dirt and mud. Eren wondered who these people are and what do they want with them. The men started talking gleefully amongst themselves.

"Yeah, they sure are pretty little things. Maybe their parents are filthy rich too." A short, stubby guy interjected while a dark-skinned muscular guy chortled gleefully.

“They would fetch us a good ransom, for sure.” The youngsters looked at each other warily, aware of the dire situation that they are facing. Armin finally had the guts to speak up.

“Excuse us, sirs…but our families are not rich. We had to fend for ourselves so that we can graduate and we are still jobless so we can’t offer you much.”

The glint in the eyes of the group’s apparent leader was sickening, he grinned maliciously while rubbing his hands together. “Well, you offer far more than you realize, kid! Your fresh bodies would be a hit with all the men. Hell knows how long it has been since we laid hands on such pretty faces.”

Terror immediately manifested in the eyes of the youngsters. They looked at Nile for help but the man was also in bad shape and bound like the rest of them. Eren could not hold his anger much longer and he voiced out his distaste.

“Why are you doing this? Who are you anyway?” The men’s leaders smiled dangerously before replying.

“We’re just nobody, kid. We are the forgotten people who managed to survive outside of your walls even without your government’s help. And do you know how we managed to do that?” There was palpable tension in the air as the words hung unsaid. Everyone knew the answer to that anyway. Eren decided to try again.

“What are you planning to do with us?”

“Believe me, kid. You wouldn’t want to know.”

“You can’t do anything about it anyway.” The men then proceeded to get the youngsters moving by pulling them to their feet and trying to drag them away. “No use struggling, kids. No one can help you now.” The youngsters tried their best to struggle despite their bound hands which were tied behind their backs. Nile and his men just looked on helplessly as the youngsters were manhandled and dragged away. But Eren and his companions fought back with all their might, knowing too well that everything would be over if the men would succeed in taking all of them to wherever they are planning to take them to. Eren headbutted the man closest to him while Mikasa planted an elbow deep into another man’s gut. Connie kicked and flailed while Sasha shouted for help as she struggled to break free from one of the men’s iron grip. Armin didn’t struggle but just watched the others putting up hell against their assailants while Mina just sat there, frozen with fear. The men paid no mind to Armin and Mina as they struggled to contain the ruckus created by the others and Armin took this opportunity to put his plan into action. Mustering all the courage he can, he shouted to get everybody’s attention.

“Everybody STOP!” There was a deafening silence as all movement paused and all eyes turned to the petite blond who dared order them around. "It does not have to be this way. I mean, we could be of use to you. We have the skills and abilities that could be of big help to your group." The leader eyed Armin cautiously before letting go of Eren to approach the blonde boy.

“So, you think you are so smart, kid. Well, what can you do?” Armin gulped audibly before answering.

"We can teach your children to read and write or do the math. We can help teach first aid and health care to your wives and caretakers. We can…” The man held out his hand to stop Armin from talking.

“We don’t have families, kid. Not anymore. That is why we are doing this. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain from all of you. So don’t bother trying to escape-“

BANG!

A gunshot erupted from nowhere and everybody ducked their heads instinctively. Then, the sound of wire cables whizzing in the air reached their ears and Eren saw the familiar dark green cloaks fluttering in mid-air. Then he heard that familiar, deep voice.

"Nobody moves a muscle, especially you shithead!" There was pure hatred in Levi's voice as he aimed the muzzle of his firearm into the supposed leader's head. "The next shot would be right between your eyes if you dared fucking move!” Eren felt his heart skip a beat as he saw Levi atop one of the branches of a tall tree near the area. Those eyes held so much passion and fury that Eren had to swallow a lump in his throat at the sight.

More sounds of cables whizzing through the air and they saw Erwin Smith landing in front of them. Eren looked astonished at the way the Scouts seem to be gliding through the air. Then he noticed the weird contraption fastened into the Scouts’ waist plus the number of straps now wrapped around their thighs and chests. Erwin sensed the curiosity in Eren’s eyes and grinned widely. As the other Scouts herded the attackers into one group and untied the hostages, Erwin took Eren aside and moved to untie his hands.

“Like our new equipment? This was courtesy of the great mind of comrade Angel Aaltonen. He was a Scout and a blacksmith. This invention was created way, way back but the government found no immediate need for it so it just lay there in the inventory gathering dust. It is highly effective when battles happen in forests or residential areas where there are many tall buildings for the hooks to clamp into. Since the Scouts would be moving mostly in the forests and other inhospitable terrains, horses would not be that effective so we decided to give this equipment a chance to serve the nation."

“So, each Scout would have to learn how to use this?” Eren asked as he rubbed his wrists which were slightly red from being bound so tight.

“Actually, this was already included in the cadet’s training since last year.” Eren turned around at the familiar voice and found Levi standing behind him. He felt shivers down his spine as the Corporal appraised him silently, taking in his disheveled and dirty appearance and finally landing on his reddened wrists. Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Those dirty shits really did a number on you, didn’t they? Glad we came here just in time.”

“How did you know about our situation?” Eren tried to hide his abraded wrists but Levi quickly yanked his elbows towards him to closely examine the reddened skin, shaking his head ruefully. Eren’s cheeks heated up at the sudden contact and he prayed to all the gods who can hear that the Corporal does not notice his visible blush.

"We heard the gunshots just as Erwin and his team were departing for the Headquarters. It was a good thing that we have gotten the hang of this equipment before this happened so we were able to use them efficiently." He gently let go of Eren’s arm and looked the boy straight in the eyes. Eren could not escape the intense gaze of those blue-gray orbs and he desperately fought the impulse to swoon. _Damn it! Why do his eyes look so beautiful? And why the hell am I feeling like this immediately after almost getting abducted? Get a hold of yourself, Eren! The Corporal is as straight as a damn ruler, get that into your thick head!_ Then, Levi broke eye contact and looked at the other youngsters who are still shaken by the incident, particularly at Mina who is sobbing uncontrollably and being comforted by Sasha. Eren saw Levi’s fist clench in his sides and felt a sharp pang of jealousy stab his heart when Levi walked away from him to go to the others. Eren decided to look to Erwin instead who was eyeing him with interest.

“You seem to have gotten close to our stoic Corporal, Jaeger?” Eren was flustered by the Commander’s sharp eyes and he stammered to reply.

“Uhm, not really. I mean…we had a little altercation before we left and maybe he was just feeling guilty that this happened to us and…no, really…it’s not what you think.” Erwin Smith arched one of his thick eyebrows at Eren’s word vomit.

“Relax, I am not thinking anything out of the ordinary. It is not uncommon for soldiers to care for one another. After all, we need to always have each other’s backs. But Levi…” Eren blushed at the insinuation. He does not know if Erwin is aware of his sexual orientation already but if he read their profiles then he might already be aware that Eren is gay. Erwin cleared his throat before continuing: “He does not like to get close to others. He’s been like that ever since he joined the Scouts so I was a bit surprised at how he interacted with you so casually.”

Eren cleared his throat and looked around for something to distract the Commander with. Seeing that his companions were being herded towards the carriage drawn by horses which were luckily unscathed from the firefight earlier, he heaved out a sigh of relief. "Well, it seems like we will be continuing our journey, after all, Commander." He jerked his head towards the others and Erwin's expression shifted into professional mode again.

"Well, it will get dark soon and we have to reach the walls before that. Also, we need to get all of you treated especially Nile and his men. We will be traveling with you since our horses are stationed not far from here. We took a different route when we came here but we will take the same route with you to ensure that nothing untoward will happen again. “ Eren felt a weight lift off his shoulders, feeling much safer now than he had beforehand. Then he remembered something.

“How about the men who attacked us? Who are they anyway?”

“Bandits. They have been terrorizing the villages outside the walls for ages. Rumors say that they are actually being handled by powerful men from inside the walls to keep control of the plantations, farmlands, and mines situated out here, like some sort of a private army. Of course, our presence out here is bad news for them so they always find ways to disrupt our activities. But don't worry, we are always ready to face them any given day.” Eren was about to ask another question when a smooth voice stopped him.

“Oi, brat. Get in the carriage now. You’ll have time for that chit-chat later in the Headquarters.” Levi jerked his head towards the carriage and Eren was able to glimpse Mina’s long black hair disappearing into the carriage’s opening. He instantly mumbled an apology to Erwin before making a hasty move towards the carriage in a half-trot. As Eren disappeared into the carriage, Levi approached Erwin.

“Will you be coming with us, Corporal?” Erwin asked with a glint of amusement in his eyes. Levi just clicked his tongue.

“You know I would if you did not leave a shit ton of tasks into my lap. Hell, a warm bath would be nice after all that has happened but no thanks, Erwin. Just keep an eye on the brats, will you?” Erwin gave a knowing look before patting Levi on the back.

“Which one of them are you really interested in, Corporal?” Levi shot Erwin his fiercest glare but this did not even faze the Commander who just chuckled in return. “Come on, Levi. We’ve known each other for a long time already, I have never seen you this concerned about potential recruits.”

“Is that a bad thing? I see so much potential in that group, Erwin. They would be valuable additions to our troops.” Levi said in his usual deadpan manner. “You better go now if you want to reach the walls before dark.”

“Well, I should probably get going too. I know you would keep things in order here, Corporal.”

“Tch, don’t I always do? Get your ass moving now or the brats would leave you behind. They have already saddled your horse for you.” Levi turned to go, not waiting for Erwin’s reply. He wanted to get away from the Commander’s knowing looks as fast as he can. Shooting his cables into a nearby tree, Levi sailed through the air and was gone from sight in an instant. Erwin just shook his head in amusement as he went towards the Scouts that have finished saddling his horse from him. Mounting his steed, Erwin set off in a gallop to catch up to the others that have gone ahead. 

Eren rubbed his eyes warily, trying to shake himself into wakefulness. The thin mattress they were provided at the bunkers was wreaking havoc to his back. But they still needed to be up early, they have to be at the field before 0530 hours for their morning exercises. Sometimes, Eren felt insecure training with more agile and younger recruits but the Scouts do not give special training sessions for new recruits unless absolutely necessary. Of course, Eren’s pride will not allow him to admit that he sometimes has a hard time keeping up with the younger cadets but he chalked it all up to lack of conditioning on his part. Ever since Eren graduated from the University, he has been remiss in keeping in shape. Being a varsity player required him to always keep in top shape for the competitions so graduating from the University also meant graduating from the pressure to always stay fit and he is now regretting his decision to slack off from training.

Rolling his shoulders to loosen the kinks on his muscles, Eren looked back at the other beds adjacent to him. Armin and Connie are still sound asleep, both are lightly snoring may be due to exhaustion. Eren looked at the beat-up wall clock adorning the wall and saw that it was almost 0400 hours and figured that he would have to wake the two up soon. It has been a month since Eren and his group formally entered training as Cadets. It was an important requisite to enter military service and Eren felt that it was a necessary step to get themselves ready physically, mentally, and emotionally for the tough grind ahead.

It was not easy getting his parents’ permission, especially his mother’s. She did not want to lose her only child into military service and it took all of Eren’s willpower not to give in to her pitiful sobs and pleas as he packed his bags to go to the Scout’s headquarters inside the walls. But entering the Scouts had been Eren’s lifelong dream and discovering his true sexuality did not in any way dissuade him from this goal. If anything, it even pushed him to work harder towards that goal, eager to prove himself useful to society despite this society looking down on people like him. Eren decided to take the higher road and give back to society for sending him through college since Shiganshina University is partially subsidized by the government. He will give back in a way that he best knows how. His father took his decision and sexuality with a grain of salt, Grisha has never been that involved in Eren’s choices anyway while Eren’s mother, Carla always hovered over her son like a protective hen. Eren loved his parents to death but he has started to yearn for independence ever since he entered adulthood and joining the Scouts can be considered as his biggest adult decision so far.

Eren decided that he wanted to use the shower alone so he quietly padded into the common shower room. Stripping naked, he let the cold water awaken his sluggish senses. He remembered the freezing water in the temporary camp outside of the walls and the image of a short and obnoxious man hit him like a bolt of lightning. He has not seen Levi since their return to the walled cities. He had hoped that the Corporal would be coming into the headquarters every once in a while but it seems that the Corporal had other ideas or maybe he was just too busy. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo from the racks, Eren poured a liberal amount on his palms before lathering his unruly locks gently, taking care to remove all the knots and tangles that were created by tossing and turning overnight. He then grabbed the bar of soap from the same rack and scrubbed his skin furiously with it. Everything is provided for them here, everything is shared in the common shower room so that Eren wanted to bathe ahead of the others so he could have some much-needed privacy. He has never been comfortable showering with the others even if they are not aware of his sexuality yet. He knows that once he decided to pursue a relationship with someone, everybody will know that he is not into girls at all, and showering together would be awkward as hell. He wanted to save them all the effort and explanations so he has been creating instances when he will not be half-naked with most of the other trainees. It was an added discomfort but it suited Eren’s sensibilities well. Shaking away random thoughts of long, silky black hair and smooth, pale skin, Eren turned on the water and rinsed all the soap away. Before long, he was already on his way back to their room, a big, brown towel wrapped around his waist.

Armin and Connie were still asleep when Eren opened the door to their bunkers. He gently nudged the two of them awake.

“Armin, Connie, wake up! It’s almost 0430 hours.” The two sat up groggily and Eren proceeded to get dressed, pulling out clean uniforms from a nearby closet. The cold shower did him good as he moved quickly and nimbly in putting on the tight, white pants and the cropped, tan jacket over his favorite beige shirt. Next, he put on his socks before pulling on the thigh-high standard-issue brown boots that they use for training. These boots are specially made with light and durable material so it would be easy to move with it while using the Omni Directional Mobility or ODM gear. Eren sighed as he laid out the bundle of straps that he needed to put on his thighs, shoulders, and chest. They were quite cumbersome to wear but since they have been wearing those straps since Day 1, Eren has grown accustomed to the straps even if he has not yet gotten the hang of using the ODM gear. It was quite frustrating for Eren seeing that most of the other trainees did not have problems in keeping their balance while wearing the ODM gear but he simply cannot stay upright for long. He is starting to suspect that his gear might be defective but he did not have any evidence except for the fact that he was the only one struggling to keep upright while using the ODM gear. He was already fully dressed when Armin and Connie managed to stumble out of the door to take their showers. Eren decides to proceed to the field early so that he can still do some stretching before their morning formation.

The field was still mostly empty except for a few early birds like Eren. Mikasa and Sasha were already there along with several younger trainees. Mikasa has been some sort of a celebrity ever since she entered the headquarters as one of the trainees. She has cut her long, black hair into a short bob and has grown stronger with the rigorous training. Sasha is still the same jolly and oblivious girl obsessed with food but she too has grown more agile in just a few weeks. The two women have been the toast of the whole headquarters since it is quite unusual for women to enter military service and actually excel in training. Mina suddenly came to Eren’s mind. She did not enter military service as they previously thought she will because she was too traumatized by the incident that happened the day they were supposed to go back inside the walls. She opted to work as a coordinator between the universities and the Scouts with regards to all the necessary supplies that had to be procured for their literacy and numeracy programs. _Maybe that is the reason why the Corporal has not shown his face at the headquarters at all. Because he knew that Mina wouldn’t be there anyway._ Eren felt bitterness well up to his throat at the thought. It further strengthened his resolve to perform better in their training. He wants to prove to everybody, especially Levi that he has what it takes to make it to the Scouts despite being a bit older than the regular cadets. Eren felt a tap on his shoulder and looked back to see Mikasa and Sasha standing behind him and smiling.

“Does your back still hurt?” Mikasa asked worriedly and Sasha looked at Eren with the same question in her eyes. Everybody saw how many times Eren fell on his back and on his bottom as he can’t stay up when they are using the ODM gear.

“Getting better, Mikasa.” Was all that Eren could say and was surprised when Sasha handed him a belt. “What is this for?” Eren asked. Sasha grinned proudly before answering.

“Mikasa and I were able to secure a new belt for you. We figured that there might be something wrong with your gear since you are the only one having a hard time with the ODM gear. But after we checked your gear yesterday, we found out that it was in good condition so we thought that the problem might be with the belt you are using.” Mikasa nodded in agreement while Eren tersely replied.

“You shouldn’t have done that. The Commander might think that I am asking for special treatment since my father is a well-respected doctor in Shiganshina Hospital. Besides, I…” Mikasa cut off Eren’s explanation with her palm in front of Eren’s face.

“The Commander does not know about this. We got this through our own means.” Sasha bit her lip nervously and Eren was more intrigued at that.

“And what did you do exactly to get these for me?”

“Well, Mikasa challenged the biggest of them to an arm-wrestling match. If she loses, she will eat lunch together with the poor guy for one whole week. Needless to say, she won and she got these for you."

Eren stifled a laugh at that, imagining the face of the poor guy after Mikasa effortlessly mangled his arm. “Well, I hope your theory is right. I don’t want to kiss the ground again today. I’d rather kick some ass during the sparring sessions.” Sasha and Mikasa both smiled and Sasha playfully jabbed Eren in the shoulder.

"That's the spirit! Go get them, you suicidal bastard!" Eren returned the jab good-naturedly.

“Bring it on, potato girl!”


	5. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren finally passes the training along with his friends and they were immediately deployed outside the walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished writing this one, the plot is finally moving a bit now. Sorry for the slow build-up, a lot of details need to be established first so that there would be no confusion in the succeeding chapters. Thank you for those who are still reading this, comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin nor any of the characters.

After falling down on his ass for the nth time, Eren finally decided to swallow his pride. In the pretense of needing to relieve himself, Eren excused himself from the field and proceeded to a secluded corner in the area to replace his belt with the new one that Mikasa and Sasha were able to procure for him. He then proceeded to hide his old belt inside the pocket of his tan jacket. With everything in order, Eren confidently sauntered back to the field to join the others. Mikasa and Sasha exchanged knowing glances once Eren returned to the field and made a beeline for the contraption that will be hoisting them up to test their ability to balance themselves using the ODM gear. Eren looked at the contraption like some kind of torture device considering the countless times he fell on his face and on his back while trying to hold himself up while suspended in thick cable wires from his gear. Nevertheless, Eren was not known to be a "suicidal bastard" for nothing, and the trainer Keith Shadis just looked at Eren in obvious distaste when Eren was once again at the front of the line of those who wish to practice their balance with the new gears.

“Still haven’t had enough bruises for the day, Jaeger?”

“I’ve had worse before, sir.” Eren politely answered as Shadis fastened the cables to the straps wrapped around Eren’s torso.

“It’s your call, Jaeger. But if you still won’t be able to do this, I’m afraid I would have to withdraw your application for the Scouts. But you can still qualify for administrative tasks here in the Scout’s headquarters if ever.” Eren felt his breath hitch at that and prayed hard to all the gods present that the girls’ theory about his belt’s defect was right.

“I understand, sir. But I would really want to be out there with most of the Scouts.”

“We’ll see about that, Jaeger. Pull him up.”

Eren steeled himself as the cable started to lift him from the ground. Trying to find his center of gravity, Eren wobbled a bit when he was airborne but surprised to feel that he was not tilting forward or backward this time. In fact, he actually felt like he was floating steadily on air. Eren shot a look at triumph over his friends and they were equally ecstatic. But Keith Shadis was sporting a very confused look as if wondering how Eren was now holding himself up effortlessly after failing innumerable times before. 

But Eren was oblivious to the reaction of the people around him. What matters most is that he would be able to use the ODM gear and join his friends and the other Scouts in their missions outside of the walls. A certain diminutive and snarky but handsome Scout immediately came to mind and already, Eren was giddy at the idea of seeing Levi again. Keith Shadis then called them all into attention, mentioning that they will start with training tomorrow by using the ODM gears in navigating the nearby forest. He then proceeded to dismiss the trainees early so that they could rest early and prepare for the hardest part of training tomorrow. Keith then proceeded to the Commander's office and knocked at the door twice. Then he entered without waiting for an acknowledgment.

“How was the training, Commandant?”

“Going better than expected, Commander Erwin. It seems that everybody from your recent group will be prepared to join the Scouts soon. We will practice the OMD gear in the forest tomorrow.” Erwin paused from writing at this.

“Everybody from the special batch?” Erwin eyed Keith questioningly at this.

“Uhm, yes. I did as you told me but somehow the kid was able to pass the final test with the ODM gear. I did not know how he managed to do that but since he passed, it would be suspicious to relegate him to the office despite the kid voicing out his preference to be at the front lines. You are aware that we are in dire need of additional troops, right?”

“Yes, but this kid is different. He is too persistent for his own good. He could be a distraction to others.”

“Hmm? Why would you say that? He is just your average cadet. I don’t see anything special in him. If there was someone exemplary in the special batch, it would be that Ackerman girl. By the way, is she related to the Corporal?”

“Levi said that they might be distant relatives since there is only one Ackerman line in Eldia, figures why she is so talented, it runs in the genes.” Erwin resumed his perusal of the documents.

“Speaking of the Corporal, how is he taking his new task?”

“Grumpy as always but you know Levi, he will always obey orders as long as they are reasonable. He and Mike make a good tandem.”

“I see. And the Corporal thrives in action best so I think it was a good call to put him in charge of the temporary camp along with Mike.”

"Mike would have to be called back here several times for many reasons. Only Levi could be trusted to keep things in order over there since Hange and Moblit still have to maintain the laboratory and research facilities here.”

“I think the new batch of recruits would be in good hands with the Corporal. He trains his troops well, especially in cleaning.”

“I sure hope so. I would like him to keep focused on his task because at this stage, distractions might spell disaster.”

“You keep talking about distraction, what are you implying? And why are you so wary of that new recruit that you have to go out of your way to make sure he stays away from the temporary camp?”

“Just a hunch. He’s a pretty boy after all.” Keith scoffed at this.

“I know Jaeger’s parents and they are quite your regular citizens, I am sure they raised him well. He is quite dedicated and persistent, he is also stubborn and moody but I’m positive that he can conduct himself well as a soldier. Besides, I don’t see him causing chaos in the ranks of well-trained soldiers.”

“You can never tell the effects of boredom and isolation on people’s minds, Keith. But I trust your judgment. Make sure the new recruits are properly equipped and trained before we send them to the temporary camp. I plan on bringing the new recruits there myself by the end of this month.” Keith nodded in understanding before standing straight and snappily saluting the commander of the Scouts. Erwin returned the gesture in the same snappy manner.

"I take my leave now, Commander," Keith said and Erwin nodded in approval before Keith turned on his heels to walk out of the room. Erwin held his head between his hands, using his elbows as support. He looked down on a file atop his desk, between his elbows, and the name Eren Jaeger can be clearly seen along with a picture of a mop-haired and green-eyed boy with innocent but beguiling features. 

"Sorry Dr. Jaeger, your son was much too stubborn for his own good," Erwin mumbled to no one in particular. Sighing loudly, he took the rubber stamp and after pressing it into a stamp pad, he firmly pressed it into the paper with Eren’s picture on it leaving a bright indigo mark reading: “For Deployment”. 

After days of training using the ODM gear, Eren’s chest and thighs were permanently bruised from the tight straps that they are using with their maneuver gear. Most of the cadets immediately got the hang of sailing through the air with the use of the gears but it was extra special for Eren. He felt so free sailing through the trees and feeling the breeze ruffle his hair and graze his face. _So this is how the birds feel, this is how freedom feels._ Eren has been repressed all his life. Held into high standards by society for being the only son of a renowned doctor, he was hindered from enjoying his childhood and teenage years because he needed to play the role of the perfect son. He got a taste of freedom when instead of the expected degree in medicine, his father allowed him to choose his course and did not react when he picked Linguistics and Comparative Literature. Eren loved to read and write because he felt those activities liberating. He felt free to create and live in his own world that is free from pressure and judgment and he relished that feeling. That is when he decided to chase his freedom and consider enlistment to the Scouts who have been his heroes ever since he was little.

But he did not expect himself to fall so hard the moment he set eyes on a stoic Corporal whose short stature practically oozed with sex appeal. He was not looking to enter into a relationship, he practically warded off both male and female admirers when he was in college because he was so set on fulfilling his dream of entering the Scouts upon graduation. Or maybe he just hasn’t encountered the person who could make his heart skip a beat like the way Corporal Levi does. Eren was so lost in his thoughts that he almost did not see a low-lying branch blocking his way until it was inches from his face. Thanks to his quick reflexes honed by weeks of training, Eren was able to avoid a mishap in a nick of time by quickly shooting his cables into a higher branch. He was safely out of harm’s way when he heard a reprimand from one of the higher branches. There stood Commandant Keith Shadis who was supervising their training.

“Focus, Jaeger! You don’t want to knock your head off because of carelessness.”

“Yes, sir! Sorry about that.” Eren shot his cables forward so that he can come closer to the Commandant. He perched himself in a nearby branch as Keith eyed his form critically.

“You always have to be focused when you are on the field, Jaeger! A single second of distraction can be costly and even fatal.” Eren looked down shyly before looking up at his superior again.

“I understand, sir. I won’t be distracted anymore.” Keith’s grim expression did not change as he eyed Eren with concern in his eyes.

“Keep that in mind, cadet. I don’t want to answer to your parents if something happens to you just because you are not focused enough.” Eren nodded eagerly, his thumb fiddling with the trigger on his gear.

“Yes, sir! Can I go back to training now?” Keith nodded curtly in response.

“Yes, cadet. Be careful!” Eren nodded because he can’t manage a proper salute while hanging precariously by a hook to a sturdy branch. Then he shot off his cables onward to continue his practice with the others.

After more than two weeks, the special training for incoming cadets has finally ended and the time for deployment has finally arrived. The top 10 graduates of this batch would be given the privilege to enlist in the Military Police which is the one directly stationed in the innermost part of the walled cities. Most of the cadets are aiming to be enlisted in the Military Police because of the perks of living in the safest and richest part of the nation. The rest would have to choose between the Garrison Corps and the Survey Corps. Of course, those in the top 10 that would not enlist in the Military Police would be giving up their slots for the others who did not make it to the top 10 but wanted to enlist in the Military Police. Despite being several years older than the other trainees, everyone from Eren’s group made it into the top 10 but none of them opted for the Military Police since they have seen firsthand the necessity of their presence in the Scouts. They all felt that their skills would be of greater use in the Scouts than in any other military branch.

After the graduation ceremonies, everybody was given one last chance to go home and see their families before finally being deployed to their respective posts. Eren both dreaded and looked forward to seeing his parents again considering the struggle that he had to go through when he first left for training in the Scout’s Headquarters. They were all given two days with their families before setting off towards their designated areas. As usual, Eren was with Armin and Mikasa since their homes are on the same route. Mikasa was the first to reach her house on the outskirts of town, then Armin also went in the way of his grandfather’s house which is just a few blocks away from Eren’s home. Jittery with both excitement and apprehension, Eren cautiously approached the doorway of their house and slowly turned the knob which was unlocked as always. Breathing in deeply and letting out a long sigh to release some tension, Eren opened the door and stepped inside the house.

The house was quiet. Maybe his mother was asleep? Or maybe she stepped out to buy something? But it wasn’t like his mother to leave the house for long. He went upstairs to the bedrooms, taking great care not to make too much noise. When he reached the door to his parent’s room, he pressed his ear against the door to know if the room is occupied. He heard soft rustling sounds and thought that maybe his mother was still in bed considering that it was early in the afternoon and she was alone at home. He debated on whether to just leave her be or make his presence known but he was caught unaware by the soft sound of sniffles coming from inside the room. Gently, he turned the knob and slowly opened the door a crack.

Peering inside, he saw a bulk underneath the blanket and surmised that his mother may be crying herself to sleep again. Gathering his wits around him, he cleared his throat audibly. At the sound, a head of messy, ebony tresses peeked out from under the covers and gasped audibly at the sight of Eren standing by the doorway. Before he even had time to speak, Carla was already out of bed and crushing her only son into a tight embrace, her tears falling in endless torrents from her puffy eyes. Eren held her tightly against him, fighting the urge to cry with his long-suffering mother. Then, Carla looked up to her son’s face, her amber eyes looking deeply at emerald ones. Then she reached out both of her hands and cupped Eren’s cheeks lovingly.

“You came back. You came back to us.”

Eren did not reply but just hugged her tight. He did not have the heart to tell her that he was just there to prepare his things and to inform his parents that he was going to be deployed outside of the walls and that he would also be leaving the day after tomorrow. Carla started sobbing into Eren’s now muscled and bruised chest, wetting the front of his shirt with her tears and snot. Eren rubbed his mother’s back gently to comfort her, choosing to stay silent for the time being. Carla pulled away from the embrace to look at her son's face, noticing the now defined jawline and the slightly sunken eyes.

“You look thinner, Eren. Have you been eating well?” She gently smoothed away Eren’s bangs from his face so he can look at those emerald jewels that she missed so much.

“Yeah, I actually eat a lot. It’s just that…training is hard.”

“What did I tell you? Life in the military does not suit you. You are better off working in the papers or maybe you can do office work here in Shiganshina? I know some people who-“ Eren gently sighed and Carla just knew that whatever she says will be futile. Eren has made up his mind. “I take it you are still going to join the Scouts?” Eren nodded his head slowly in response.

“We were given two days off to stay with our families before being deployed to our areas. They said that it won’t be easy to schedule breaks or leaves in the future because we would be busy all year long. I know you understand that, mom.” Eren said gently as Carla leaned closer to press her face into Eren’s chest, inhaling the distinct smell of her son’s skin.

“I wish I didn’t. But I do, Eren. And I am so proud of you.” Eren smiled gently at Carla’s words. “Come and help me prepare dinner. Your father would be so happy to see you.”

Two days passed by quickly and Eren once again met with his friends at the big gate in the wall Maria. They were waiting for their ride and this time, Erwin and the rest of the Scouts will be joining them in their journey towards the Scout’s temporary camp outside of the walls. The air was buzzing with excitement as each of them were handed their own ODM gear and firearms with strict instructions to only use the firearms upon command from their superiors. Aside from the straps needed to use the ODM gear, Eren and his friends had to contend with an ammunition pouch where the bullets and magazines for their firearms were neatly stashed for easy access. And then there was also the military-issued heavy-duty backpack which would contain the most basic of their personal belongings along with the standard hammock and polyethylene plastic which can be used as temporary roofs in case they would have to camp out in the forest. Eren was thankful that the harsh training has prepared them suitably for carrying all those weights on their shoulders during their journey and especially while using the ODM gears. Eren felt like an oversized turtle with all the weight and bulk that he is now carrying. He did not notice Armin creeping up beside him and was mildly startled when his blonde friend spoke.

“Nervous?” Eren looked at Armin and wondered if the blonde was speaking for himself as he saw that Armin could barely walk straight with all the weight. Armin has always had difficulties in the physical aspect of the training but he made up for it in the strategy and analysis department where Commander Erwin himself commended Armin’s analytical and deduction skills. Eren beamed at his childhood friend.

“Excited. You?” Before Armin could reply, Sasha and Mikasa joined them in their conversation. Sasha was rubbing her tummy gently.

“Ohhh, I think I ate too much for breakfast.” Eren and Armin suppressed a chuckle at that.

“You always eat too much.” Mikasa deadpanned and rolled her eyes. She and Sasha have grown much closer during the training as they were always paired together being the only women in the last batch of trainees. There was chuckling and Connie came into view, also strapped up and prepared for the journey ahead.

“If Sasha does not eat too much, then it is not her.” Sasha made a face and everyone broke into laughter. Their fun was cut short however by the voice of Mike commanding all of them to get ready. They all went to their respective horses and mounted into their saddles. Eren shifted his weight around a bit before settling into a comfortable stance, making sure that the weight is evenly distributed and won’t bother the horse that much. He was glad that he took their horseback riding lessons seriously that he was now confident in his skill to ride and control a horse. His heart was beating wildly due to the adrenaline coursing through his veins. There was a loud rumbling noise as the heavy gates were slowly being lifted from the ground. Everybody looked forward to the wide expanse of land awaiting them outside the gates. Eren held on to his reins firmly, head held high, and trying hard to hide his smile.

_I’m coming, Corporal._

It was late afternoon when they finally caught sight of the hidden river that flows right through the temporary camp that the Scouts have set up deep within the forest. They were all on their ODM gears now, having left their horses in the clearing midway from the site. The horses are being taken care of in a nearby stable because the rough terrain leading into the camp will not be suitable for them and they wanted to keep the location of the camp a secret from outsiders so bringing in horses would definitely attract unwanted attention to their base. As evident in the incident that took place, many unlawful elements are not too keen about the Scouts’ presence outside of the walls. It would be in their best interest to keep their temporary base hidden from those outsides of the Scouts. 

Mike Zacharias and his advance team were the first to land on the ground while the others stayed atop of the trees, firearms at the ready while looking around for something suspicious that might have missed the sharp eyes of the advance team. Eren and the other new recruits are with Commander Erwin in the middle of the formation while Hange and Moblit are stationed at the rear of the formation, making sure that they have not been followed and erasing any visible marks that might betray their presence or the size of their formation. Eren learned in a lecture during their training that they will now be employing guerilla tactics as their enemies; whoever they are, do not move in any predictable manner. They always have to be on guard even if they are already inside the camp. Mike let out a shrill hoot, mimicking the sound of birds common in this part of the forest. When an answering hoot sounded from within the cluster of trees, Mike signaled for all of them to follow his lead and started moving forward. They all retracted their ODM gears’ hooks and started walking after Mike and his team who are now entering a small clearing hidden from afar by a canopy of thick branches and lush foliage.

Two tall figures were waiting ahead and Eren later recognized those figures to be Reiner and Bertholdt, their faces lit with recognition and gratitude. The two both executed a salute to Mike and everybody returned the gesture with a salute of their own. Then, the newly arrived group proceeded to enter the temporary camp’s premises one after the other. Upon entering the kitchen, the group saw Marco and Jean on the large makeshift stove cooking dinner while Annie had just arrived with Nanaba bringing with each of them a neat stack of firewood which they gathered from the nearby forest. All of the tasks in the camp are evenly distributed regardless of gender since they are all trained soldiers and they are expected to be versatile and skilled in everything with regards to survival. 

Still exhausted despite using the OMD gears because of the long ride towards the forest, most of the newly arrived Scouts took the opportunity to put down their backpacks to rest their tired shoulders. Eren was debating on whether to head straight for their bunkers so that he can use the shower room in peace but was reminded that the water here is cold and showering with cold water after a long journey is not something that his doctor dad would recommend. His reverie was broken by a cough and when he looked up Marco was there thrusting a steaming mug at him, it smelled of something different than tea.

“This smells different. What kind of tea is this?” Eren inquired as he took the cup from Marco and stared at the black, fragrant liquid inside. Marco chuckled amusedly as he took a seat beside Eren.

"This is coffee, much cheaper than tea, and what people outside the walls usually consume since it is easy to grow around the area. But this drink tends to perk you up unlike tea which is much calming, that is why the Corporal still prefers tea over coffee.” Eren’s ears immediately perked up at the mention of the Corporal and he hid his blush by blowing gently on the still-steaming liquid to avoid scalding his tongue before taking a small sip. The liquid was bitter but tasted rich and Eren immediately felt energized and took another sip, letting the rich flavor and aroma fill his fatigued senses. He looked around and saw everybody nursing their own steaming cups. They were anticipating their arrival after all. But there is one face missing amidst all the familiar faces in the temporary camp and Eren heard Erwin voice out to Reiner what he was actually thinking.

“Where is Levi, Reiner? Did he not know that we are supposed to arrive today?” Eren strained to overhear Reiner’s response.

“He knew that you were arriving today but one of the villages heads scheduled dialogue with the Scouts regarding security and assistance in the procurement of materials so the Corporal had to go there with Rico. They were supposed to be back now but Rico called and informed us that they will be running late because the villagers wanted to give them some food supplies for free and it was quite hard to travel fast with all that load, even with the ODM gears.” Erwin just nodded his head thoughtfully but said nothing before picking up his backpack to go to his designated quarters. But before leaving the dining area, the Commander addressed all the Scouts present.

“There would be a briefing after dinner for all of us who had just arrived, make sure that you would all be present here at exactly 1900 hours. There was a resounding “Yes, sir!” from the newly arrived Scouts and most of them picked up their bags and departed for their respective quarters. Mikasa and Sasha went towards Annie to ask where they are supposed to stay. Eren turned to Marco with the same question in his eyes and the freckled Scout easily understood.

“You would be staying at the same bunkers that you occupied the last time you were here. All of the new recruits are designated at the center of the formation so there would be no big changes with the way things were the last time you were here.” Eren was about to answer when a curt voice interrupted their conversation.

“Oi, Marco! I’m sure Jaeger can find his way to his own bunkers. I need some help here, the rice seems to have too much water.” Jean motioned to the big pot boiling at the stove. Marco slightly dusted his pants and stood up but before turning to Jean, he shot one last look at Eren, apology visible in his expression. Eren nodded in acknowledgment before picking up his backpack to go with Connie and Armin into their bunkers. 

Eren stripped off his sweaty clothing until he was clad only in skimpy, black boxer shorts before gingerly testing the water with his toes. He opted to bathe in a secluded part of the river where they used to wash their clothes. He did not want to jostle with the others for the use of the shower room when he can easily bathe alone and undisturbed in his own private spot. Holding his breath, Eren submerged himself into the deep part of the river, letting the cold water drench his tanned and muscular physique before surfacing again. Rubbing the goosebumps that have begun to form on his exposed skin, Eren waded back to the riverbank to get his toiletries. Grabbing the herbal soap that his mother packed for him, Eren started to lather his hair first before proceeding to rub the soap all over his body, taking care to scrub away all the grime and dirt accumulated during their journey earlier. When he was satisfied with all the scrubbing and lather covering his body, he waded towards the deep part of the river once more to rinse off all the soap. He submerged himself completely into the water, scrubbing his skin in the process to rid his body of all the soap. As he surfaced from the water without opening his eyes, he threw his head back to get the excess water off his hair and then proceeded to shake his head like a dog. Feeling refreshed, he slowly opened his eyes only to see the familiar figure of a short raven-haired man staring blatantly at his naked, muscular chest. Eren instinctively covered his chest with his hands, thankful that he was standing waist-deep into the water so that the lower half of his body was hidden from the Corporal’s piercing gaze. He managed to stutter out some words to disturb the tense atmosphere.

“Co-Corporal! What are you doing here?”


	6. Adjustments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and his group are slowly adjusting to life with the Scouts and Levi is slowly getting attuned to his own feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Season 4 has started airing on Netflix in some countries but I was able to watch it already through the help of some friends.  
> Anyway, things are still slow in this chapter but Levi and Eren get to spend a lot of time together. With all that is happening in the manga, writing this is my release from all the pain and heartache in the AOT universe. I hope you like this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin or any of the characters mentioned in this fic.

"Co-Corporal! What are you doing here?"

Levi was awakened from his catatonic state by Eren's panicked voice and he realized that he was ogling at Eren's now muscular and tanned body. _Damn, how could the kid have gotten more attractive in such a short time?_ Slipping back into his stoic and deadpan character, Levi awkwardly cleared his throat before answering in a bored tone.

"Well, hello to you too, kid! I did not expect anybody to discover my secret bathing area and I thought I would take a quick bath before the briefing later." Levi then proceeded to unbutton his shirt and Eren looked at him with panicked eyes.

"Wait! What do you think you're doing?" Eren gestured with his palms facing Levi, completely forgetting that he was trying to cover up his chest earlier. Levi did not skip a beat in unbuttoning his shirt, shrugging off the filthy garment until it fell on a heap into the stones at the river bank. Eren could not help but gawk at the Corporal's lean yet muscular physique, his eyes taking in the chiseled chest and defined abs before Levi's hands started to unbutton his pants. "Wait, let me get dressed first! Then you can take your bath in peace."

"Why are you so worked up, brat? Never seen another naked body before?" Levi paused from unbuttoning his pants and looked at Eren inquiringly, noting the redness in the younger man's face, neck, and ears.

"No! I mean…I am not comfortable getting naked in front of others and I also don't like to see naked persons…so please, can you just turn around first while I get dressed? I promise to be quick about it." As he was talking Eren is slowly submerging himself back into the water to hide his nakedness, he began to shiver from the cold water and the cool early evening air. Thankfully, Levi granted his request and turned around so that his muscular back and well-shaped ass was now in Eren's view. Fighting another blush rising in his cheeks at the amazing view in front of him, Eren stumbled towards the riverbank, grabbing the towel to dry himself hastily before haphazardly pulling off his wet boxers and pulling on the fresh, clean set of clothes he had left by the riverbank earlier. He did not care anymore if his clothes were wrinkled and creased, what matters is he got dressed as fast as possible and escape the embarrassing situation he is currently in. "Uhm, you can turn around now, Corporal," Eren mumbled weakly as Levi slowly turned to face Eren again with a hint of annoyance on his face.

"About time, brat!" Without looking back at Eren, Levi proceeded to peel off his pants revealing toned and muscled legs before jumping into the water. With Levi completely submerged in water, Eren took the opportunity to gather up his things and make a run for it before things got too awkward. He did not notice Levi's head quietly emerge from under the water, looking at his retreating back with a small smile on his usually stoic face.

 _Welcome back, brat. You almost gave me a heart attack with that mermaid stunt of yours earlier._ Levi thought as he remembered how the younger man's body had considerably firmed up and muscled nicely in all the right places. Eren's jawline also became more defined and his cheekbones are now more prominent than when they first met and it gave the younger man a stronger appeal. Levi can't even remember when he found these features appealing in young men since he usually preferred women who were petite yet curvy, not that he ever had any serious relationships after entering the Scouts. Maybe being around men most of the time opened Levi's eyes to the attractiveness of men? Levi shook his head to clear his thoughts before submerging his head anew into the clear water. He needed to finish his bath before the briefing begins in less than half an hour.

Eren rubbed his eyes briskly to will his mind to wake up. It is still dark outside but Eren was scheduled to cook breakfast this morning together with one from the Senior Scouts but he did not know yet who his buddy would be although he fervently wished that it would not be the Corporal. After the embarrassing incident at the river yesterday, Eren didn't want to face the stoic Corporal too soon as he continuously avoided looking at Levi during the entire briefing. He can't get the image of Levi's bare, muscular body out of his mind. _How can someone short pack that much muscles anyway?_ Eren thought distractedly before fumbling to put on his boots in the dark. Then he groped for his flashlight, taking care not to awaken his bunkmates with all his fumblings. When he found his flashlight, he carefully traced his steps toward the door of their bunkers, trying to accustom his eyes to the darkness so that he would not need to use his flashlight inside their bunkers and accidentally rouse his bunkmates. It's just 0400 hours and the wake-up call is sounded at exactly 0500 hours and one hour of sleep is too good to pass up on. Eren stifled a yawn when the cold morning breeze hit his still-warm body. He has grown accustomed to waking up early because he had just undergone rigorous training with the other cadets but that does not mean that he did not miss sleeping in especially if the weather is this cold already. He rubbed his arms to get rid of the goosebumps forming there since he decided not to wear his tan jacket yet and he was just clad in the thin button-down shirt that he used as sleepwear. Training his flashlight as low as possible into the ground, he started to walk towards the kitchen.

There was already a fire roaring in the makeshift stove when Eren arrived in the kitchen. It turned out that Gunther is supposed to be his buddy for this morning's kitchen duty and the senior Scout woke up earlier than Eren. Gunther sat in front of the fire with his back turned to Eren but he immediately turned around when he sensed Eren's presence.

"Good morning, Eren! You look good today." Eren was taken aback by the unusually warm greeting but quickly gathered his wits around him.

"Erm, good morning too, Gunther. Sorry, I woke up late." Eren scratched the back of his head apologetically.

"No you weren't late, I just woke up earlier than usual." Eren proceeded to sit beside Gunther albeit still maintaining a fair distance between their bodies.

"Uhm, so…what still needs to be done?"

"Well, the rice is almost cooked but there are still lots of left-over rice from last night. We expected you guys to eat like a horse due to exhaustion from your journey but I guess we overestimated your appetite." Gunther chuckled while Eren cleared his throat awkwardly. He can't understand why Gunther is suddenly being this familiar but he just shrugged the awkward feeling off.

"So, what do you need me to do?"

"Just cook the dried fish that I left out on the table, please use as little oil as possible since cooking oil has been quite expensive these days." Eren nodded and proceeded to the large can that Gunther gestured to. There was a wooden ladle stuck into the frozen oil inside and Eren used this ladle to put some frozen oil into the large frying pan that was already set atop a burning stove. He made sure that the oil was hot enough before he gently laid out the dried fish one by one, thankful that he also learned how to cook during their training. The dried fish let out a strong smell that made Eren's mouth water since he barely had enough energy to eat dinner last night so he went straight to bed after the briefing. He was quite hungry by now. He looked back at Gunther who was busy mashing the left-over rice with some salt.

"What are you doing that for, Gunther?" Eren asked softly so as not to startle the older Scout who was busy with what he was doing.

"Well, I have to make sure that the rice would cook evenly when I fry it later. I would use the same oil that you used in frying the dried fishes."

"But wouldn't it taste and smell fishy afterward?"

"Not if we fry garlic first in the oil to remove the fishy smell." Eren nodded then hummed in amusement. Another life hack to take note of, he told himself inwardly. "While you are frying the fish, can you crush some garlic cloves, you can use the mortar and pestle over there." Eren stood up to get the mentioned items as Gunther continued what he was doing. They both did not notice the Corporal arriving in the kitchen.

Levi watched silently as Eren and Gunther quietly went about their tasks. His eyes looked at one of the stoves and found a small kettle whistling merrily. Eren noticed this and immediately took the small kettle off the fire to put a larger kettle in its place. Then he continued his task of crushing the cloves of garlic while frying the dried fishes. Levi took a cup from the make-shift dish rack and proceeded to the stove to pick the small kettle up. Eren let out an involuntary gasp as the Corporal suddenly appeared in front of him then proceeded to fill his cup with the steaming liquid from the small kettle. The aroma from the kettle told Eren that it contained the tea that the Corporal was rumored to be very fond of.

"G-good morning, Corporal." Eren croaked out as Gunther turned in their direction and Levi nodded at the older Scout in acknowledgment.

"Good morning too, brat. Would you like some tea also?" Eren handed Gunther the crushed garlic still in the mortar and pestle then proceeded to cook the other side of the dried fishes that he is frying. He looked up at the Corporal and noted that his raven locks were still wet and unbound. _Who the hell takes a bath this early in the morning? The water is damn freezing!_ Eren tried to will away the images of a half-naked Levi from his mind as he struggled to answer the Corporals' innocent offer.

"Well, I'd rather drink coffee, Corporal. It can really energize me for the long day ahead." Eren again took note of Levi's appearance and noticed that the Corporal was already donning the straps for the gear and dressed up in the way Scouts do when they are on a mission. "Heading out early, Corporal?"

Levi sat beside Eren before taking a sip from his steaming cup. "Yes, I need to talk with some of the coconut farmers who have been volunteering to supply us with coconut oil in exchange for our help in keeping their farms safe from bandits." Eren's interest was instantly piqued. 

"How exactly did we help them with that problem, Corporal?" Levi shrugged his shoulders indifferently as if it was the most mundane question that was asked of him.

"Obviously, we helped train a local militia unit that would serve as their security force even if we are not around. We taught them how to maximize farm tools as weapons and how to set u booby traps in the most vulnerable parts of their territory. They have to be self-reliant because we cannot offer much to them anyway. We barely scrape by every day with our meager budget." Levi sighed heavily and Eren stole a look at the older man. Despite his always somber expression, there was sincerity and genuine concern in those blue-grey orbs. Eren felt that the Corporal really cared for all those people now under their watch. Levi cleared his throat audibly and Eren was jolted back into the present.

"Uhm, that...that's great. I hope I get to meet them soon enough." Levi just clicked his tongue in annoyance as he stood up with his steaming cup in hand to tower over Eren who remained seated.

"Tch! Of course, you will, brat! You work here too yet you still sound like an outsider." The words stung and before Eren could react, there was a hand on the Corporal's shoulder.

"Relax, Corporal! The kid just arrived yesterday, he needs time to adjust to things around here." Gunther's voice was clear and light enough to shatter the awkward atmosphere around them. His words seemed to get through to Levi and the raven-haired man lightly shook his head, his unbound tresses gently swirling around his small, stoic face making him look more attractive in Eren's eyes.

Levi sighed heavily again before speaking. "Sorry, brat. I did not mean to sound so harsh. It's just that I am just so frustrated with how many tasks needed to be done yet we do not get enough support from the fucking government who gave us all these tasks, to begin with."

"It's okay, Corporal. I understand. I heard that Queen Historia has been having a hard time demanding for additional subsidy for us. That is expected since most of the consultants are despotic landlords and plantation owners who like to keep the farmers groveling at their feet. But I still believe that we are in the right direction and we are the most important movers for the Eldian nation." Levi nodded in approval. 

"Glad to see the feisty brat back. I thought for a while that I was talking to a different person earlier." Eren was not able to hold back his laughter, earning him a sharp gaze from the Corporal who put a finger against his lips, signaling Eren to be quiet.

"I was just sleepy, I woke up too early yet Gunther still woke up earlier than me." As if on cue, Gunther appeared behind Levi, nursing a steaming cup in his hands.

"Breakfast is ready, Corporal. You can eat ahead of the others so we can set off early." Eren looked back at one of the tables and noticed that there were three plates filled with newly-cooked fried rice, the garlicky aroma penetrating Eren's nostrils. 

"Eat with us, brat. You also have a long day ahead, better start early." Suddenly, Eren felt envious of Gunther who would be with Levi the whole day while he was still stuck in the camp to do mundane technical work. Levi sensed the sudden change in Eren's mood so he playfully jabbed Eren's shoulder. "Oi, don't look so dejected, brat. You will get to go to the villages too after you finish your tasks here. Do you really want to go with me that bad?" Levi raised his arms to tie his hair back into a neat bun at the back of his head. Eren stuttered to get the words out of his mouth.

"O-Of course not! Why would I want to go with you, Corporal? You are not actually the kindest soldier around." Eren took his seat opposite Levi and watched as the older man almost choked on his tea. Gunther sat beside Levi and tried to suppress his laughter at Eren's words.

"Hey, Eren! The Corporal is not all that bad once you get to know him." Levi pretended to ignore the two as he picked at the fragile bones of the dried fish but he was straining his ears to hear Eren's response.

"I'm not sure I want to but for you, Gunther, maybe I would give the Corporal a chance."

"A chance to what? To whip your butt into shape?"

"My butt is already in shape, thank you very much, Corporal." Eren bit back sassily before realizing that he was speaking to his superior. He quickly muttered an apology. "Sorry Corporal, I just woke up from the wrong side of the bed this morning." Levi chuckled amusedly at that remark.

"Then you must be waking up from the wrong side of the bed all your life, you brat! Although I would not tolerate that kind of sassy behavior among the soldiers, I just hope you put all that fire in you into good use eventually." Levi stood up followed by Gunther and Eren noticed that both of the men had already finished eating and were holding their empty plates to bring them to the makeshift sink. Eren looked at his half-finished meal before abruptly standing in attention.

"Le-let me wash your plates for you, Corporal and Gunther." Gunther smiled at him kindly before answering.

"No need, Eren. In this camp, we have no servants so we have to clean up after ourselves. The Corporal is very particular with cleanliness and orderliness so you have to remember that." Levi did not reply but just went on washing his own eating utensils while Gunther waited for his turn to use the sink. Then, he spoke without looking at Eren.

"Finish your breakfast, brat. Then try to clean up here before the others arrive. I expect to see the kitchen and dining area as clean as this when I return." Then Levi fixed Eren with a pointed glare. "I am holding you responsible for this, brat. Understand?" Eren almost fell from his seat at that cold glare but he still managed to execute a snappy salute.

"Yes, Corporal. I will do my best." Levi smirked at the gesture then motioned to Gunther to follow him. Gunther nodded before turning to Eren and smiling kindly.

"We have to go now, Eren. Keep yourself safe." Levi's brow slightly arched at the fondness in Gunther's tone. He had already noticed earlier that his buddy seemed to use a different tone of voice when talking to Eren and he did not like that one bit. An unfamiliar feeling gnawed at the pit of his stomach as they went into their journey. Levi was not one to hold back so he decided to ask Gunther directly as they walked towards their destination.

"Oi, Gunther. Are you in any way interested in that brat?" Gunther slightly blushed at the blunt question.

"Well, Eren is quite a nice person. He is easy to get along with despite his temper and he is so serious in his tasks. I have observed that he – " Gunther seemed at a loss for words as he saw Levi's sharp gaze. "I-is something wrong, Corporal?" Levi seemed to regain his senses back and clicked his tongue annoyingly.

"Nothing. Just remember that the brat is still a newbie. He wouldn't be available for relationships until he has been in the Scouts for a year." Levi cleared his throat audibly because he seems to have a hard time getting those words out. His mind is screaming loudly in his ears. _The brat is reserved! He is mine! Don't you dare hit on him this early._

"I know that, Corporal."

"Good. I don't want any trouble this early." Levi said before thinking if he actually meant the words for himself than for Gunther. They then proceeded without another word until they reached their destination.

Eren hummed in anticipation, ignoring the ache of his muscles from holding something in his arms for a long time. The target site is now in clear view and he can already see the familiar figure of Mikasa and Sasha standing at the riverbanks. There were also a handful of villagers present and they all looked in awe at the contraption that Eren was holding in his arms. Following Eren was Armin and Connie who are both holding pieces of the contraption that would be put together to build the Mini Hydropower plant that Mikasa designed with the other engineers in her college before they started their training. What they have now is a prototype that they would be testing in one of the nearby villages to see if it can generate enough power to supply the houses with electricity for their basic use. If the prototype worked well, they are going to build more for the other villages along with the solar and wind-powered prototype that they are currently developing. With the advance of modern technology, the Scouts are doing their best to bring the benefits to the villages outside of the walls since these villages have long been neglected by the past administrations.

The thorough groundwork of the Scouts led to Queen Historia's immense popularity among the villages outside of the walls who saw her leadership as a far cry from the corrupt and bureaucratic practices of the other administration that only sought to gain from the aggravated backwardness and poverty in the outer villages. Whenever there were sinister plots to oust or replace Queen Historia, the farmers, fisherfolks, and plantation workers simultaneously stopped production of their respective goods, rendering the market paralyzed and the usual way of life disrupted which created chaos inside the walls. This episode ended with the nobles grudgingly recognizing the importance of letting Historia keep her crown if they do not want to be mobbed by the angry citizens who have been relying on the products that the village outside the walls has been dutifully providing them for the longest time. It has never been more evident to Eren how important their work is in the Scouts, it's like they are running their own country outside of the walls since they need to be self-reliant most of the time. But all these hardships led to a tighter connection between the Scouts and the villages that they are tasked to lead and serve; not to mention the stronger bond that has been forged between the Scouts themselves as they did their best to help each other overcome the obstacles that come their way.

Levi has always resented the way that the Scouts seem to be left to fend for themselves outside of the walls but seeing how well they were received by the villagers from outside the walls, he felt that they are actually being of service to the people. He also came to appreciate the laid back and simple lifestyle that they lead outside of the walls. Even if he sometimes misses the luxuries that they used to have in the Scouts' headquarters inside the walls, he eventually got used to the back-to-basics way of living in their temporary camp since they have to adapt to the way of living in the villages outside the walls. Somehow, helping alleviate poverty and illiteracy outside the walls has become a sort of advocacy for the Scouts and they fervently share that common goal. All the hardships that they encountered while they are accomplishing their tasks only made them stronger and more united than ever before.

Levi stole a glance at Eren who was busy working with Armin, Connie, Mikasa, and Sasha in putting together the prototype of the mini-hydro power plant. Being the tallest in the group, Eren is currently submerged waist-deep in the part of the river where they are going to install the prototype, protected from the strong current by large rock formations. The green-eyed young man is concentrating on the instructions that Mikasa and Sasha are shouting at him to compete with the loud noise of the river's currents. His wet clothes clung to his body like a second skin, revealing the hard ridges of muscle underneath and Levi was in awe at how fast Eren has built up his physique in a short period. From a lanky and clumsy adolescent, Eren has quickly blossomed into a handsome young man whose fiery resolve to accomplish all tasks given to him made him an easy favorite among the senior Scouts. This fact did not sit well with Levi who has secretly taken a liking to the young man despite his stubborn self-denial. At the same time, Eren easily warmed up to most of the Scouts and gained more friends in the process although Levi doubted if some of the Scouts actually saw Eren as just a comrade or even a friend. He has seen the way some of his comrades look at Eren and truth to tell, he could not blame them. Eren is tall, tan, and handsome, even pretty in Levi's eyes because of those large, emerald eyes, defined cheekbones, and plump lips. Levi shook his head ruefully. _He really had it bad for the brat._

A triumphant shout from the crowd drew Levi's attention back to the present and was pleasantly surprised at the soft hum coming from the prototype which was spinning gracefully underwater. After setting up the wires that would relay the electricity to the nearby villages, everyone waited in anticipation for what would be happening next. As the soft hum continued, the light bulbs eventually lighted up one by one to the sound of thunderous applause and cheers from the people present. Finally, they have electricity in the village! The Scouts present were all congratulating each other on the success of their project and Levi saw Eren beaming with pride while Connie and Armin pulled him out of the water. Eren shivered slightly as the cool air hit his wet body through his drenched clothes but he just remembered that he did not bring a clean set of clothes. He sent an alarmed look at Levi who seemed to understand his predicament immediately and hurriedly approached one of the village officials present in the site. They whispered seriously to each other with Levi gesturing towards Eren and the old man nodding in understanding before leaving the area. Levi then took off his green cloak before approaching Eren and unceremoniously draping his cloak around Eren's shoulders. Eren slightly blushed at the action but Levi was quick to dismiss it with a loud click of his tongue.

"Tch, how could you forget taking a clean set of clothing with you?"

"Sorry, Corporal. I was too preoccupied with what I was carrying earlier that I forgot all about it." Eren tried to control his shivering but the cool air relentlessly assaulted his drenched skin. Levi felt too worried to be angry now and he resisted the urge to just take the young man into his arms. Fortunately for Levi, the old man who he talked to earlier has returned with a bundle of clean clothes which he immediately handed to Eren. Eren bowed his head in gratitude after taking the clothes from the old man who hurriedly left. Levi looked around for a secluded place and pointed Eren to a cluster of trees nearby. Eren immediately went in the direction that Levi pointed, eager to get out of his wet clothes.

It has been months since Eren and his friends were officially deployed to the Scout's base outside of the walls. The Scouts have been very busy and they were always away from their temporary camp, setting up literacy centers, testing prototypes of different kinds of power plants that can thrive in the natural settings of the villages to minimize destruction to the environment brought about by coal-powered plants. Mikasa and Armin have been racking their brains designing the different power plant prototypes while Eren, Sasha, and Connie were assigned to the literacy and health projects of the Scouts. With all their hard work, they managed to accomplish more than what years of the old monarchy's reign has ever given to the villagers living outside of the walls. Aside from that, they also acted as law enforcers and moderators to disputes that occasionally erupt between impoverished villages. Eren has never researched so much about laws and justice before but he welcomed the opportunity to add to his knowledge to properly implement his tasks. While their tasks go hand in hand, Sasha and Connie are mostly focused on improving health services and nutrition in the villages that they visit. All of them are trained in first aid as cadets but Sasha and Connie have been actively assisting in medical missions and even actual medical operations.

Levi has to admit that the presence of Eren and his group did a lot to push most of their projects forward. Being young and educated, the youngsters were not afraid to take the lead on most projects that required a certain level of skill and knowledge. On the other hand, the same youngsters never shied away from involving the older Scouts in every project that they undertake, effectively integrating themselves into the Scouts' system while learning from the senior Scouts' in the process. There were some minor bickering in the first few weeks as the new recruits adjusted to the regimented and rudimentary lifestyle of the Scouts but since everybody is aware of what kind of life they committed themselves to, it was easier to give up the luxuries and comforts that they used to enjoy inside the walls.

Among the new recruits, Eren seemed to be the odd one out. He was not as intelligent as Armin and Mikasa but was always eager to shoulder the menial tasks involved in each project. Eren is also not as skilled as Connie and Sasha in the medical field but he can hold his own in cooking and mixing herbal remedies. Eren has felt inferior a lot of times as he was mostly stuck in the drudgery of reports, documentations, and bookkeeping since his uncanny attention to details make him very useful in this department but Eren is not content with that. He wanted to be in the thick of things always, in the frontline if possible so that he often undermines his part in all of the Scouts' achievements.

Levi will never admit that Eren's presence finally freed him from the confines of paperwork that he hated doing but he saw the frustration in Eren's eyes when being asked to deal with the task. He knew the fire in those emerald green orbs is too strong to be confined to writing reports and drafting rules but it was the brat's greatest skill. Sure, Eren can be good at whatever task he is assigned to but his meticulous nature made him tailor-fit for this task, aside from the fact that Levi got to spend more time with Eren albeit the younger male obviously resents being tied down with such a headache-inducing task. It was not deliberate on Levi's part but he was pleasantly surprised that Eren took a lot of the boring tasks out of his hands so that he can be free to do more things outside of the office. Nevertheless, he made sure to involve Eren in any major projects that the Scouts were undertaking so that he can also be familiar with their area of responsibility and at the same time, learn new skills along the way.

As Eren came out from behind the cluster of trees, Levi almost chuckled at the image. The pants were way too short for Eren's long legs and the shirt fit way too smugly to the young man's toned body that the soft fabric was stretched tightly across his chest, outlining the hard ridges of muscle. It was a good thing that the brat kept Levi's green cloak draped over his shoulders to hide the fact that the shirt was obviously too small for him. With his wet clothes in hand, Eren approached Levi cautiously.

"Corporal, will we be leaving soon?"

"No, brat. The villagers have invited us to a small gathering that they organized to celebrate the installation of the Mini Hydropower Plant. We should be getting back by late afternoon."

"Can I just hang my clothes out to dry? I can't go back with these clothes." Eren gestured to his current outfit and Levi was not able to hold back a smirk.

"Well, you have grown a lot this past few months, brat. You need to cut down on rice." Eren rolled his eyes at his superior, obviously annoyed at the teasing.

"Not funny, Corporal."

"I am not trying to be funny, brat." Levi arched an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side, enjoying Eren's reaction to his teasing.

"I really wish you would stop calling me that, Corporal." Eren narrowed his eyes in annoyance as the older Scout seemed unfazed with his demand.

"Why should I?" Levi is finding it hard not to smile at this point seeing Eren's clear annoyance. He really loved teasing the brat.

"Because I'm not a kid anymore." Eren almost whined but he kept his composure. He did not want to prove the Corporal right if he acted like a whiny kid in front of him.

"No, you're not a kid but you are still a brat." _My brat._ Levi added in his thoughts at the moment Eren furiously stomped away from him to find someplace to dry his clothes. In a brief second there, a ghost of a smile finally manifested on Levi's thin lips. 


	7. The Ties that Bind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse at Levi's past and how he and Eren got caught up in a complicated turn of events further complicating their current situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update before I get caught up in the Holiday Rush!  
> The plot is slowly but surely unraveling and more people are getting caught up in the web of events.   
> Special thanks to all the loyal readers who subscribed to this story, there would be lots of time skips so don't be confused. 
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin nor any of the character names in this.

“Is that you, Levi?”

“Yes, Mama it’s me.”

The delicate pale hands rose from under cream-colored sheets. Levi winced at how thin his mother had become in just a few months. Despite her current condition, it cannot be denied that Kuchel Ackerman used to be a beauty in her younger years. She looked a lot like Levi especially with the long raven locks that have already gone past Levi's shoulders. Her face is pallid and there are dark circles under her eyes. Levi can clearly see that his mother is not in the best of shape so he pulled a chair to sit beside the bed.

“How have you been, Levi?” He helped her mother sit up while propping some pillows behind her back so that she can lean comfortably while talking to him.

“Never been better, Mama. How about you?”

“Hmm, don’t worry about me, they have been taking good care of me here.” Kuchel looked at her son, taking in the healthy glow in his cheeks and the unfamiliar sparkle in those usually dull blue-grey eyes. “You are looking better than ever, Levi. You look more handsome now.”

“Tch, you must be running a fever or there’s something wrong with your eyes.” Levi averted his gaze to look out the window. His mother’s health has been steadily deteriorating despite the efficient medical attention being provided to her by the state. Of course, it was one of Levi's requests when he acquiesced to stay at the temporary command base outside of the walls. His Uncle Kenny couldn't be bothered to look after his younger sister because he was always busy with his shady dealings in the Underground.

Levi was forced to work with Kenny at the early stages of his mother’s sickness because they needed the money to fund her medical expenses. Levi became one of the most feared thugs in the underground under his Uncle’s tutelage, even getting their hands on the ODM gears long before they were approved for usage in the military, Kenny’s connections made sure of that. Little did they know that the Scouts have been eyeing that equipment for a while now since they started venturing outside the walls and discovered a big chunk of land waiting to be explored yet difficult to navigate conventionally. Levi has since then honed his skills in using the ODM gear since he is naturally agile and flexible. His Uncle Kenny told him once that their clan is best known for their uncanny fighting abilities and it seems that those genes have been passed on to Levi as well despite his father's identity is a complete mystery to Levi up to now. His skills earned him the infamy and notoriety that caught the attention of then newly-appointed Scout commander Erwin Smith whose visionary goals and twisted logic earned him the reputation of the Devil commander who would stop at nothing, even sacrifice lives to achieve their main goal.

The Scouts hunted Levi down intending to force him to join the Scouts and make good use of his extraordinary fighting skills. Levi easily evaded all those attempts until the Scouts learned of his mother's condition. Kuchel Ackerman used to work as a prostitute in one of the popular brothels in the Underground. Levi never understood why they had to live in squalor and abject poverty all their life because his mother only told him that their clan is both feared and persecuted for their genetic ability to become great warriors, fighters, or even assassins. Kuchel Ackerman was known as Olivia, one of the prettiest and comeliest maidens in the brothel which led to clients coming from the upper classes of society and one of these rich asses eventually impregnated her which resulted in Levi being born. His mother continued to work in the brothel after giving birth to Levi, not wanting to ask help from his Uncle Kenny who demanded that Kuchel get rid of the baby even before it was born. Levi grew up in an environment that taught him that he will have to fight to survive. He did odd jobs as a child to help his mother who still worked in the brothel at that time. He was around 9 years old when his mother caught an unknown disease that left her feeling lethargic for days on end. Only the timely arrival of his Uncle Kenny saved his mother from certain death and in exchange for that, Levi agreed to work under Kenny in all his illegal operations in the Underground. Kuchel got better but she was never the same after that, always catching the latest bug or virus even if Levi kept their house immaculately clean all the time.

When the Scouts got wind of Kuchel Ackerman’s condition, they used her as a bargaining chip to force Levi to work with them. Levi had to admit that living above ground and being able to get the best medical attention for his mother was a lot better than continuing to work for Kenny and his mafia syndicate in the Underground. Besides, Erwin Smith threatened him that refusing their offer would mean that Levi would be handed over to the military police and either executed or imprisoned for his crimes. Either way, his mother would be doomed so Levi agreed to enlist in the Scouts and make good use of his skills for once in his life.

The majority of the Scouts did not want a former thug as their comrade but with Levi's superior fighting ability despite not having proper military training all doubts disappeared. There is no more question about his importance to the Survey Corps who are gearing for a major shift in orientation since Queen Historia came into power. Levi did train most of the cadets especially since he has already mastered the use of the ODM gear before the other Scouts. Slowly, Levi unlearned most of the negative characteristics acquired from years of working under his brutish Uncle Kenny. He eventually learned the importance of teamwork, camaraderie, and, honor but his snarky and abrasive attitude remain unchanged. Eventually, the Scouts got used to his stoic and intimidating nature but valued the strengths that Levi contributed to the Scouts.

“Levi?”

Levi was jolted back to the present when Kuchel reached out a pale hand to gently caress his cheek.

“Do you need something, Mama?” Kuchel let a smile break the sickly pallor of her face and gently laid her hand on top of Levi’s hand which was resting on top of the bed.

"You need to tell me anything." Levi’s brows arched at the statement.

“About what?” He tried to play dumb but he knew where this conversation is going. Her mother knew her too well not to pry on his personal life.

“You met someone. I can see it in your eyes.” Kuchel’s smile was so pure and sincere that Levi had to avert his gaze as he attempted to divert the conversation. Instead of her eyes, Levi looked at her thin hand gently caressing his own.

"Of course I met someone. I encounter a lot of people daily." It sounded lame even to Levi’s ears but he couldn’t help it. He just had to make a snarky comment or two. Kuchel just chuckled lightly and gently slapped Levi’s hand.

“No, silly. I mean someone special.” Levi turned to look at his mother’s grey orbs, sensing that Kuchel can read him like an open book no matter how hard he tried to keep some things to himself.

“Why would you say that?” Levi challenged but Kuchel looked unfazed and didn’t even flinch at Levi’s intense glare, guess his intimidation will never work on his own mother.

“I have never seen your eyes look this happy.” Levi let out a long sigh at this statement.

"I am happy, mama. I love my work right now. We get to make a big difference in the lives of lots of people like us. Finally, we are making a difference, mama and I am just glad to be a part of it." It was true. Levi never thought that he would grow attached to the Scouts’ considering that he was initially forced to enlist in it but judging from how he dedicated most of his effort and skills in accomplishing tasks assigned to him, it would be safe to say that he had finally found his niche in the organization.

“I see. Maybe my eyes are bad after all. I see things that aren’t even there.” Levi did not miss the hint of sadness in his mother’s voice and quickly tried to make amends.

“Don’t say that, mama. You actually look better now.” With Kuchel’s dejected expression, Levi finally gave in. “Okay, I admit. I met someone but not in the way that you are thinking. They just make me happy when I’m around them.”

“They? So it’s a man?” Levi almost choked on his own saliva.

“Wh-why would you say that?” He looked into his mother’s eyes and they were smiling.

“If it’s a woman, you could have just said she or her but you chose to use them. Are you afraid of my reaction?" When Levi did not respond, Kuchel gently stroked his son’s hand. “You are my son, I know you better than anyone.”

“But I used to admire girls before, I don’t know why…” Kuchel cut off Levi’s words by raising her hand with the palm facing Levi. When Levi stopped talking, she just let the same hand fall back to its previous place in the sheets.

“Who knows why we fall for a person? I used to admire boys before I worked in the brothel. It all changed after that. I started to see men as just a source of income and never desired to form serious connections with them. “ At Levi’s dumbfounded expression, Kuchel let out a long-drawn sigh. "You see, I believe that if we really fall in love, we fall in love with a person and not with a gender."

Levi sighed. “Fine, he is a man. A stubborn, spirited young man.”

“Does he know you feel different about him?” Kuchel’s eyes were so warm and Levi could not detect even a hint of judgment or disgust in those soft grey orbs.

“I don’t know. He’s quite popular with both gender and he is usually sweet with everyone. But not me.”

“Why? Did you do something to him?” Levi choked for the second time in this conversation and he stammered out a reply.

“No! Nothing inappropriate if that is what you are thinking about, mama. But he seems to be so afraid of me that he turns jumpy whenever I’m around. He always talks back when I scold him but he obeys everything I tell him to do. “ Kuchel gently shook her head and smiled.

“Well, someone needs to be stubborn and spirited if they are going to withstand your attitude. I hate to say this, son but you are not exactly adorable.” Levi smirked at this, now he knew where his blunt nature came from.

“Now you’re on his side? You haven’t even met him! You never acted this way before when I told you about girls hitting on me.”

“Because I know that you are really not into them. I am your mother. I can see the slightest change in your expression and nuances. And believe me, I have never seen your eyes sparkle so beautifully before.”

“Stop it, mama. You are embarrassing me.” Levi covered his quickly reddening cheeks with both his hands and Kuchel chuckled in amusement.

“Oh, Levi! I never thought that I would ever see you blush.” Levi snorted in response before breaking into laughter. Kuchel joined him in laughing until they are both out of breath. Kuchel gently rubbed her chest while Levi rubbed his mother’s back to help her get her breath back.

“Enough of that, mama. You might hurt yourself.”

“I haven’t laughed that hard for the longest time, Levi. I need to meet this young man—“

“Good afternoon, Ackermans!” Erwin’s deep and steady tone sounded from the doorway and Levi looked back to see the tall blonde standing stiffly beyond the open door. “I’m sorry for interrupting your cheerful reunion but Corporal Levi and I need to talk about urgent matters. Would you mind Mrs. Ackerman?”

“No problem, Commander Smith. I leave my son up to your care.” Kuchel joked as Levi helped her lie more comfortably in bed before planting a firm kiss on her forehead.

“I will be going now, mama. Take care.” With that, Levi turned around and followed Erwin Smith out the door.

“I love you, son. Be happy always.” Kuchel whispered almost to herself before closing her eyes.

“So…who is this young man your mother is talking about?” Erwin firmly stated as they walked side by side towards Erwin’s office. Kuchel’s room is situated in one of the quarters inside the Scouts’ headquarters, obviously for safety purposes. Since becoming a member of the Scouts, Levi has been a marked man especially to the scums he used to work with. He implicitly demanded that his mother’s safety and well-being be ensured in exchange for his continued service to the Scouts.

“Eavesdropping on private conversations now, Erwin?” Levi clenched his fists to quell the anger rising inside him. He hated it whenever Erwin gets too nosey.

“I was not eavesdropping. I accidentally heard as I was coming through the door.” Erwin’s tone did not change as he answered Levi’s snarky reply.

"There is such a thing as knocking before entering a room," Levi added as they reached Erwin’s office and Erwin turned the knob to open the door.

“Why are you so agitated about it? Do I need to be concerned, Levi?” Levi followed Erwin inside the modest room that served as both Erwin’s office and sleeping quarters; the commander’s bed hidden behind a wall of bookshelves that speak of Erwin’s inquisitive and curious mind.

“Why would you be? I have never done anything out of line since I entered the Scouts. You know me better. Erwin.” Erwin went around his desk to sit behind it while Levi remained standing in front of the desk because he wanted to see the Commander at the same level considering how tall Erwin is compared to him. In this position, it would seem that Levi is even a bit taller and the Officer liked that illusion.

“That is why I am concerned. Eren is ---“ Levi immediately raised his right hand with his palm facing Erwin, this caught the commander’s attention and he closed his mouth.

“Who said anything about Eren?” Levi’s gaze was murderous already but Erwin didn’t even bat an eyelash, he was used to this side of Levi already, and he knew that Levi is sensible enough not to act on his feelings on impulse.

“I am not blind, Levi. I have seen the way you look at him ever since the first time you met him.” Erwin's tone was firm and even as if talking to an errant teenager. Levi just scoffed at the placating look on Erwin's face.

“So? Can’t I look at my own subordinates now, Erwin?” It sounded lame, even to Levi's ears but he had nothing better to say in his defense. Erwin clasped his hands together and laid them on top of the desk as if pleading for Levi to understand his point.

“You know Eren is Dr, Jaeger’s son, Levi. He is a very important ally of ours.” Erwin emphasized the words SON and ALLY. Levi’s brows furrowed in confusion.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“You can’t corrupt his son!” Erwin’s voice was loud and the words made Levi see red.

“I am not doing anything!” Levi slammed his palm hard on top of the wooden desk. “Ask the other soldiers, I have never treated Eren differently from how I treat every Scout. How dare you accuse me of something so hideous!” Levi even jabbed his pointer finger in front of Erwin’s face to emphasize his point.

“I have no evidence for now and there have been no reports of either of you misbehaving but I just want to let you know that I am watching you closely, Levi." Erwin reverted to the calm but firm tone after sensing that Levi is getting riled up. Levi drew himself up into his whole five foot three height and crossed his arms defiantly across his chiseled chest.

“Watch all you want, Erwin. Eren is an adult, he can decide for himself! He decided for himself when he entered the Scouts despite his parents’ objection and despite your manipulations.” The accusation was blatant and Erwin’s surprise was apparent.

“Who told you about—“ Levi let out an exasperated sigh, cutting off the taller man’s rebuttal.

“Keith Shadis tongue slipped. Don’t blame the old man, he’s been going through a lot of pressure lately.” Levi waved his right hand dismissively as he started walking across the room, eyeing the sparsely furnished office and the book titles on the shelves.

“Dr. Jaeger implicitly requested that his son---“ Levi pulled one book from the shelf and thumbed through the pages, distracting Erwin who was not able to continue his sentence even if Levi was not saying or doing anything to cut him off. Sighing loudly, Levi closed the book and returned it to its proper place, making sure that it was aligned perfectly with the other books. Then he turned back to Erwin who was still eyeing his every movement like a hawk.

“His son is already an adult and can decide for himself. I will repeat that sentence over and over until you get it through that thick skull of yours, Erwin!” There was an awkward silence before Levi heaved out a long sigh. “Look, I’m sorry for being disrespectful Erwin but most of the cadets that joined the Scouts have parents who are either influential or sympathetic to our cause. Why single out Eren Jaeger?” Erwin supported his head by planting an elbow against the desk and placing his chin against his palm. He looked straight into Levi’s eyes before answering.

“Because Dr. Grisha Jaeger is the doctor in charge of Kuchel Ackerman.”

Levi’s face quickly paled as the implication started to sink in. “Is he that desperate as a father that he would implicate a harmless and sick patient just to drive his point across?”

“Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t. All I’m saying is we have to be careful, Levi. Besides Eren is just 7 months in the Scouts, you know our rules—“ Levi dismissed Erwin with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

“You don’t have to remind me. I know the rules like the back of my hand.”

“Then you know what to do.” Erwin sat straight up in his full height, hands clasped together as if in prayer while looking at Levi intently.

“Fine, I’ll stay away from Eren. But if he comes for me, I wouldn’t say no.” There was another awkward silence before Levi added, “You have my word, Erwin. I will not make the first move but if Eren does, then I will not break his heart.”

“So you are finally admitting that you have feelings for Eren.” Levi just shrugged his shoulders as if Erwin asked the most irrelevant thing of him.

“I may, or I may not have those feelings, but as I said, I will not be acting on them until the brat makes the first move. You know me, Erwin. I never break promises.” Levi then proceeded to sit in one of the couches facing the desk. Erwin nodded his head like he was satisfied with Levi’s pronouncements.

“Fine, now let’s talk about your promotion.” Levi was crossing his legs when he was frozen on the spot with the Commander’s words.

“My what?”

“Promotion to the rank of Officer. It has been approved.” Levi’s eyes narrowed in confusion and distaste.

“I did not apply for a promotion.”

“We did it for you. It is mandatory to move up the ranks. The junior cadets cannot move up the ranks unless the senior Scouts do. It was actually a two-step promotion since it was decided that your promotion has been long overdue considering your commendable performance in all the tasks assigned to you. So instead of the rank of Sergeant, you are thereby promoted to the rank of Officer. We will be having the official recognition rites tomorrow. The Queen will be handing out the promotions personally.”

“So that is why you called me here. What would be my main tasks?”

“Oh, it wouldn’t be that different from your current task. You are still the main administrator of the Temporary camp but your mission to the villages would be limited. We will be promoting the other senior Scouts so that they can lead the missions around the villages. You can still personally oversee missions but I recommend leaving those tasks to the other Senior Scouts so that they will be accustomed to leading. I think you have given them enough training to do so on their own?”

“Of course they can do it on their own. But what am I going to do inside the camp all day? Do I have to clean the camp from top to bottom?” Erwin did not miss the sarcasm in Levi’s voice so the blond commander just chuckled amusedly.

“Oh, you would be very busy, trust me. Also, there would be some people coming back with you. Make sure that they will be accommodated well.” Erwin smiled weirdly and Levi had the funny feeling that things had just turned for the worse for him.

The recognition and promotion ceremonies were brief and Levi couldn’t get out of the hall fast enough. He was curious about the identity of the persons that would be coming back to the camp with him. He was just about to round a corner when a familiar high pitched voice reached his ears.

“Leeeeeviiiii!”

“Deputy Commander, you are too loud!”

Levi smacked his palm into his forehead. Of course, it would be Hanji and Moblit that would be moving into the camp with him! He should have known that the smile on Erwin's face spelled disaster. He barely had time to turn around before strong arms hugged him from behind.

“Didn’t you miss me, Levi?”

“No! Get off me, Four Eyes!” Levi wiggled to get out of Hanji’s hug but they were so tall that they lifted him a few inches from the ground as Moblit watched helplessly from the sides.

“My apologies, Officer Levi but Deputy Commander Hanji Zoe and I would be coming back with you along with Captain Mike Zachary. We have made the necessary arrangements for this trip.” Moblit executed a snappy salute while saying all these.

“Mike, too? Why do I have a feeling that the whole Scout Headquarters would be moving to our outside camp?” Finally, Hanji put Levi down and leaned closer to him to whisper.

“Not here, Levi. Save your questions for later.” Then they reverted to their cheerful voice. “We heard about the prototypes’ success; I am so excited to make more of those! We gathered all the necessary parts based on the communication passed on to us. We would be swamped, and I would need additional personnel for our research. Since we can have electricity at the camp, we could bring our laptops and printers and…”

“Wait a minute, Four-eyes! That is a camp, not a shitty office, who gave you the idea—“ the look on Hanji’s eyes forced Levi to stop talking as he sensed that the Deputy Commander did not want to delve into details right here, right now. Levi just rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue; "Tch, whatever you say Four Eyes!” Turning to Moblit Levi barked out some instructions: “I would call for additional troops if you need to bring a lot of stuff so better get your asses ready because we will be leaving shortly after I make the call.”

Moblit nodded in agreement then turned around to make sure the preparations are going smoothly. Technically, Moblit’s rank is higher than Levi’s but since Levi has been doing most of the hard work outside the walls while Captain Mike Zachary is still tied up with a lot of the bureaucratic process inside the walls, he could not help but be in awe of the shorter man’s skills and fortitude. With constant communication to the Scouts’ headquarters inside the walls, the Scouts in the temporary base have accomplished much in the past few months, mainly because of Levi’s strict compliance to their plans and flexibility to adapt to sudden changes in conditions. Moblit had nothing but the highest respect for the man so that he still salutes him even if he has a higher rank.

Levi's mind is in disarray. What is with all these secrecy and sudden troop movements? As a former thug, Levi's sharp senses are trying to warn him that something is not what it seems; that there is a bigger issue underneath all of these. He held out an old model VHF radio to alert the troops of their current predicament. These radios may seem obsolete but they are the best for long-distance communication and are more effective than the modern two-way radios that the Military Police are using. The signal is not stable in the forest so they have to rely on old technology to send and receive their messages efficiently. The only downside is that these frequencies can be monitored so Levi, Jean, and Marco had to devise a unique coding system so that messages will be harder to decipher if intercepted. Despite all of this, Levi decided to take extra precautions and used the ODM gear to scale the top of the walls.

Looking out to the vast area beyond the gates, Levi breathed in the fresh air he has grown accustomed to before pressing on the button in the handheld communicator.

“Buzzard-Falcon”. Levi bit back a smile as the name registered in his mind. It was Jean’s call sign and he really found it funny that Jean picked that name despite hating everybody who called him horse-face. They agreed that the call signs would be bird names because of the Wings of Freedom being the official emblem of the Scouts. Of course, Levi chose the Falcon as his call sign because Falcons are known for being fast and agile birds of prey despite being relatively smaller in size. Levi loved flying so much that you would seldom catch him without his ODM gear and this resulted in permanent bruises that can be seen on his thighs, chest, and shoulders where the straps are usually in place. Sometimes, Levi forgot that he had the gears on because he had been so accustomed to wearing those. Gas supply has never been a problem because the Scouts were able to utilize a small gas refilling station in one of the villages. Since electricity is not yet available outside the walls, gas has been very important in powering tools and fuelling vehicles. After waiting for a few seconds, Levi repeated the call.

“Buzzard-Falcon do you read me?”

“Falcon-Sparrow, loud and clear, sir!” Marco’s cheerful voice sounded from the radio. Levi furrowed his brow, why would Jean be unavailable to answer?

“Where is Buzzard, Sparrow? Why are you answering this call?” There was a soft chuckle on the other end before Marco answered.

“Well, the Buzzard is currently flying across the meadows hunting for food.” It was a code for a mission in one of the villages.

“May I know who hunted for food with the Buzzard?”

“Raven, Egret, and Wren.” It was a code for Mikasa, Eren, and Armin. So they went out on a mission today. Levi hoped that Jean is capable enough to protect the three newbies in case they encounter some mishaps along the way.

“Did the Buzzard have to be the one to go there?”

“It was supposed to be Bluebird, Cardinal, and Oriole but there is a special need for Buzzard’s skills and only Raven and Wren are capable in this particular meadow.” So, it was a communication issue. They have been setting up communication networks among the villages so that they could easily respond to urgent situations. An improvised signal tower was installed in some of the strategically located villages for information to be smoothly passed on to the temporary camp, maybe they are having problems making the tower function and Jean's expertise on radio and communications is needed along with Mikasa’s engineering know-how and Armin’s analytical skills. Maybe Eren was there as an additional hand or for documentation, as always. Levi knew that Eren resented being relegated to doing paper works most of the time but it was his best skill, nobody can do those things as meticulously as Eren even while he resents doing the task in the first place.

“Copy. 407 to commence, inform 888 immediately. Owl and Kite need a nest. Make sure 444 happens. Do you copy?"

“Ten-Four.” With the affirmation, Levi turned the radio off and placed it in a sling bag that he wears across his chest. Sighing heavily, he looked at the far horizon, eyeing the thick clump of trees far ahead signaling the presence of the forest that they know so well, both as friend and foe. Strong wind has started to pick up and is messing with Levi’s neatly tied bun at the back of his head, causing several stray wisps of black hair to caress his cheeks. He looked at the grey clouds starting to gather on the horizon and mentally calculated the time it would take them to reach the temporary camp before it starts to rain. Without wasting another second, he fired his hooks and quickly scaled down the wall to gather Hanji, Moblit, Mike, and the rest of their equipment together. 


	8. Crossroads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is feeling the effects of his father's insidious plans for him and he needs to make a difficult choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!   
> Actually, I have often postponed uploading another chapter to this fic because I haven't had time to write and edit lately. This may not have that many readers but I decided to not abandon this because it has been my release from all the pent-up stress of living in the real world. Things are starting to become interesting so I hope you would stay with this fic until its completion. Comments are very much appreciated.  
> The song used in this chapter is "Wherever you will go" by The Calling.
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own Shingeki no Kyoji nor any of the characters mentioned here.

“Ereeen!” Eren sighed for the nth time as he heard the familiar voice while he was eating breakfast by himself in the dining area. Mikasa and Armin had an early start in one of the prototypes they were working on while Sasha and Connie have been summoned to assist in performing a major operation in one of the villages leaving Eren lonely and feeling insecure while eating alone. He was about to stand up and salute but strong hands forced him to remain seated. He looked up at the familiar goggles and messy brown locks bundled up in an equally messy ponytail.

“What is it, Major Hanji?”Eren replied in a sad but respectful tone. Hanji did not seem to notice his solemn mood.

“I need your help in organizing all the research data I gathered these past few months. I brought a laptop so you could encode everything that will be classified accordingly.” Eren stiffened at the mere mention of a laptop. _Guess he would be stuck doing paperwork for long hours on end, huh?_

“No problem, Major Hanji. I just have to inform Corpo—I mean, Officer Levi about this since he might—“

“Oh, he knows already. I told him last night before I went to bed. Also, he left early with Gunther for some important meeting with the fishermen. Wow! I can’t believe you have actually reached the fisherfolks! I have been dying to study their food preservation techniques and which energy source would be best for them and—“ Hanji blabbered on excitedly but Eren did not register those words anymore. All he understood was that Levi went on another mission without him and he felt so useless and incapable of always being left behind in the camp.

It has been nine months since their group formally joined the Scouts but Eren has been mostly delegated to tasks that did not need him to leave the camp and he abhorred it. Ever since Levi was promoted to the rank of Officer, Eren hardly saw him at all. He was always busy with all the new tasks that came with the promotion and all the reorganizing inside the camp. Now, Captain Mike has assumed over-all command of the temporary camp while Levi is second in command. This is despite the presence of Major Hanji and Moblit since their work is primarily focused on research and data gathering that they cannot focus on the military aspects of their work.

Eren missed going out of the camp and performing tasks with Levi. He cannot deny that aside from missing talking to the villagers, he also missed the older man's presence and company. He even felt like Levi was avoiding him on purpose and although he tried to rack his brain of possible reasons for Levi's strange attitude towards him lately, he can't remember a single incident that might have triggered the older man's disgust or repulsion against Eren. _Maybe he knew I was gay and had a crush on him,_ Eren ruefully thought. _That is right. There could be no other reason for his sudden indifference. Everybody knows that he prefers cute women who will look good with him considering his height rather than tall, clumsy adolescent men like me._

Hanji finally seemed to notice Eren’s glum expression.

“Are you alright, Eren?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“I feel like everybody thinks I’m useless.”

“Who told you that?”

“Nobody. I just figured it out for myself. Why would they even accept my enlistment to the Scouts if they will just leave me in the camp doing mountains of paperwork?”

“But these things are important to our job, Eren. They aren’t just sheets of papers, they are products of all our efforts, written to be immortalized and utilized by the succeeding generations of Scouts and even Eldians for that matter.” Hanji’s voice was soft yet firm and Eren immediately felt ashamed of himself. He did not mean to undermine all the hard work that the Scouts had been putting on their tasks.

“I am not saying that these jobs are not important, Major Hanji.” Eren softly said. “I’m sorry if it seems that I do not value all the hard work that you put into these researches. I do but maybe I’m just too selfish.”

“And why are you feeling this way, Eren? You have always been selfless and eager to be of help in any way you can. What changed?”

“Everything. Everybody.” Eren started to sob now. “Why does everybody hate me? Why won’t you let me be useful for once? Why keep me close if you don’t love me?” Hanji did not know what to do so they just wrapped their arms around a violently sobbing Eren. They knew about the direct orders from Erwin about keeping Eren Jaeger as safe as possible even if he is already enlisted in the Scouts. Doctor Grisha Jaeger knew his son well and maybe knew that keeping him from fully immersing into the dangerous lives of the Scouts would eventually break his spirit. In addition to that, Levi has been keeping his distance from the young man because Dr. Jaeger is the one handling the medical case of Kuchel Ackerman. Eren has told Hanji before that his father never approved of his sexuality and decision to join the Scouts and they could not help but think that this was a clever ploy by the doctor to insidiously push Eren away from the things that he valued most.

Hanji sighed in defeat. They are powerless to do anything that would be of help to Eren because they know that Grisha Jaeger is a good ally but also a bad enemy. If only the doctor would let his son be happy with the life he chose for himself but he chose to manipulate his son’s life even from afar, Hanji could never understand a man like Grisha Jaeger no matter how they tried to look at it.

“Eren, you are important. Your presence here has been very significant in most of our tasks. You might view research and documentation as mundane but for us who rely heavily on facts to get our jobs done, your part is invaluable. No one here can organize facts and reports as well as you so don’t you ever think that you are just a freeloader here.” Hanji rumpled Eren’s messy brown locks as Eren wiped his face using the sleeve of his shirt. “Being here alone is significant, staying here can be considered an achievement already because of how hard our work is. Don’t be too hard on yourself, huh?”

“I’m sorry. I just feel useless staying here while all my batchmates are out there working their asses off. Don’t they trust my capabilities as a soldier?”

“Of course we do, Eren! It’s just that being a Scout does not mean being in the frontlines all the time.”

“But how can I become better in battle if I don’t engage in combat?”

“There is a right time and place for that, Eren.”

“I just want to be able to protect the people who matter to me. Although they may be a better soldier than me but at least…”

“Ohhh! Are we talking about someone in particular here, Eren?”

“No, forget what I said.”

"Well, just so you know, we are free to choose who we want to be or who we want to love. When you have been in service in the Scouts for one whole year, you are entitled to a chance to ask someone within the Scouts to be your significant other. Some Scouts do not avail of that privilege but as soldiers, we charge to the battlefield with great feelings of love, love for our country, love for our people, and love for our significant others. We don't deny the existence of these feelings, Eren. We just put them in a proper perspective.”

“But what if that someone does not like you back?”

“Then you have two choices. First, you can let it go and wait for another person to make you feel special. Or second, if that person is open to courtship to see if they might like you back, you can formally court each other until you either become together or part ways but remain as comrades.”

“But that sounds too artificial and contrived, isn’t it? Affection is not something that can be planned or directed.”

"Of course love is spontaneous but in our world, these things also have to be in order since we are always in war-footing and we cannot let personal differences cause a crack in our unity as an organization. You cannot imagine what kind of disputes would arise if we just let our soldiers fool around with one another without rules to keep them disciplined. It would be a competition on who gets the man or woman of their choice first and it might lead to quarrels between soldiers and that would be bad for the Scouts as a whole. We prefer everything to be transparent so we would know how to deal with relationships so that it would not be to the detriment of the organization.”

“I can’t understand everything that you said but I will keep all of that in mind, Major Hanji.”

“That’s good, Eren. Now, can we get back to work?”

“Ready when you are, Major!”

Eren interlaced his fingers and stretched both of his arms over his head to smooth out the kinks in his shoulder due to the long hours of hunching in front of the laptop to encode various data and documentation that needed to be organized and entered into the main database of the Scouts. His eyes hurt from staring at the screen for a prolonged period so he closed his eyes and threw his head back to stretch his aching shoulder muscles. He did not notice the door to Hanji’s quarters open as his eyes were still closed as he stretched.

“Shoulders hurt, brat?”

Eren’s eyes snapped open and he turned around so suddenly that he felt a sharp sting of pain between his neck and shoulders. Eren winced in pain as he clutched at the affected shoulder. Levi’s hands were immediately on Eren’s shoulder, the strong fingers gently kneading at the taut muscles.

“Tch! Hold still brat or you are going to hurt yourself further.”

“Wha-what are you doing here, Officer?”

“I came to see Hanji. Didn’t know that they were making you work way past regular office hours.”

“They just went to the dining area to eat dinner with Moblit. I was the one who wanted to continue working after dinner, they did not force me to.”

“Good for you, brat. Feeling better now?”

“Yes, Officer. Sorry to be such a bother.”

“Tch, don’t say that. We all need to take a break sometimes.”

“I am always resting. This is nothing compared to what everybody has been doing.”

“Oi, don’t be too harsh on yourself brat! I know you don’t like paperwork but I didn’t know you hated them as much as I did.”

“You had to do paperwork too?”

“Lots of it. Erwin dumped most of the paperwork on me since he said that my handwriting looks neat and I organize reports better than him. Of course, I am thankful that you came to take away that burden from me.”

“Do you also see this job as mundane, Officer?”

“Well, it is rudimentary but still essential to our work so there is no other way but to accomplish them as accurately as possible. And you have been doing a great job so far, Eren.”

Eren’s heart fluttered slightly at the way Levi said his name although he has also grown fond of the word “brat” since he noticed that Levi only uses it to address him and nobody else. Levi used to address every other Scout by their last name so Eren thought that maybe there is something different with the way Levi sees him.

“You better sleep early tonight, brat. I will be leading tomorrow’s morning exercises and I expect you to be up early with your friends.”

“Why do we have morning exercises suddenly?”

“It is for the benefit of the Scouts who don’t get to leave camp that often because of technical jobs. We always need to keep in shape, we don’t always know what the future holds for us. By the way, one of the villagers I talked to sent you this.” Eren looked at Levi as he got something wrapped in a black cloth.

“A guitar?”

“Yes, they said that you were good at singing and you always sang with them whenever you go to their village. They miss you, they said.”

“Do you miss me too?”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean, I miss them too but there’s work to be done here.”

“Glad you understand. I know how much you want to see them again. Is the guitar in tune?”

Eren took out the guitar from the case and tested the strings, a few dissonant sounds came out so he proceeded to tune the guitar silently while Levi watched from the side, drinking in the sight of the young man he is trying hard to stay away from. After a few more strums, Eren let out a satisfied sigh.

“There, it is tuned now. Do you want to try it, Officer?”

“Tch, I don’t play the guitar. I am not that kind of person.”

“And what exactly is that kind of person?”

“Emotional and sensitive.”

The words struck a raw nerve in Eren’s heart and it made his fingers automatically move to play the guitar. Eren sang the first few lines of the song that first came to his mind.

“So lately, been wondering

Who will be there to take my place

When I'm gone, you'll need love

To light the shadows on your face

If a great wave shall fall

And fall upon us all

Then between the sand and stone

Could you make it on your own?

If I could, then I would

I'll go wherever you will go

Way up high or down low

I'll go wherever you will go

And maybe, I'll find out

A way to make it back someday

To watch you, to guide you

Through the darkest of your days

If a great wave shall fall

And fall upon us all

Well then I hope there's someone out there

Who can bring me back to you

If I could, then I would

I'll go wherever you will go

Way up high or down low

I'll go wherever you will go

Run away with my heart

Run away with my hope

Run away with my love

I know now, just quite how

My life and love might still go on

In your heart, in your mind

I'll stay with you all of the time

If I could make you mine

I'll go wherever you will go”

“Oi, brat. You’ll wake up everyone at this rate.” Levi leaned in to whisper at Eren whose eyes were closed in concentration while singing to the song he is playing on the guitar.

Eren opened his eyes and was surprised to see Levi's face so close to him that he almost dropped the guitar. He can clearly see the dark circles under those dazzling blue-grey eyes. Levi looked tired but his skin still has a healthy flush in his prominent cheekbones and Eren’s gaze automatically fell to the older man’s chapped but incredibly luscious-looking lips. Eren gulped audibly at the close proximity and Levi suddenly jerked his head back to put some space between them. Levi had to visualize his sick mother to quell any feeling for the younger man in front of him. _I gave my word to Erwin, I will not pursue Eren actively unless he makes the first move. I do not want my mother’s life to be implicated in the sick games of Eren’s father._

“Is something wrong, Officer?”

Levi looked at Eren and saw the hurt evident in those emerald green eyes. Eren felt the sting of rejection like a stab to the heart. _Levi is disgusted with me, he can’t stand to be near me. Who am I kidding? Levi would never see me as someone special. Maybe he just sees me as a little brother. I should keep this feeling to myself so that I will not get hurt more than I am hurting right now._ Eren composed himself and tried to rearrange his facial expression into one of indifference so as not to discomfort Levi more.

“Nothing, brat. Just remembered that I still need to do something before going to bed.” Levi stood up and tried to ignore the hurt still evident in the younger man’s eyes although his facial expression looked calm and nonchalant. “When Hanji comes back here, you better go to sleep too or you wouldn’t be able to wake up early.” 

Eren nodded absently as he gently placed the guitar back in its case. "Are you sure they want me to have this guitar? It looks new and expensive, why would they give it to me?"

“They said that you might get bored staying inside all the time. They wanted to hear you play a song in one of our solidarity nights but you have never been able to go to the villages recently.”

Eren’s face fell. He really wanted to see the villagers again. During the times that he was allowed to go out with the other Scouts, he quickly made friends with most of the youngsters in the villages. He could easily relate to their love of singing and they were impressed by how well Eren can play the guitar regardless of the guitar’s make or condition.

“I promised them that we would have some singing sessions the next time I am assigned to go to the village but that time never came.” Eren ran his palm against the casing of the guitar, sadness evident in his voice. Levi's heartfelt crushed seeing the forlorn expression on Eren’s face. He couldn’t stand seeing the younger man like this and he inwardly cursed Dr. Jaeger for being the asshole that he is. Then, he did something that he never thought he would dare do in his current situation.

“Don’t be too sad, brat. After all the prototypes have been successfully installed, the village heads have planned a simple solidarity night for all of those involved in the installations. I’m sure they would be happy to see you and listen to your songs.” Levi mentally noted that he had to talk to some people before the date of the said event to ensure that everything would proceed smoothly. Eren’s face immediately lit up at the mention of him being present in the said event.

“Really, Officer? Are you sure they would allow me to go there?”

“I’ll do my best but you have to make sure that you have finished all your tasks before the date of the event or Hanji would never let me hear the end of it.”

“Ohh, I promise, I promise, Officer! Thank you! I would finish all the tasks that Major Hanji asked me to do before the date of the event comes.” Eren was so happy that he stood up and hugged Levi tightly.

Levi did not expect this reaction from Eren so he just stood there with his arms unmoving from his sides as he was literally crushed into a tight embrace by the ecstatic Eren. He can feel the younger man’s defined chest muscles and the biceps that enclosed him was hard as iron. Levi smirked at how tall Eren has become and he only came up to the younger man's ears with his nose directly on the level with Eren’s shoulder. _Damn! The kid smelled of lavender and roses! Is that his shampoo or his soap? And I did not expect the kid to be this tall already! I look like a kid compared to this brat._

Eren was too happy to notice their awkward situation until he heard someone clearing their throat behind them. Levi and Eren looked back at the same time to see Hanji standing at the doorway with a very flustered Moblit behind her. Eren immediately let go of Levi who stood there looking unfazed but with a slight flush on his small face.

“What’s with the small celebration, Levi?” Hanji asked with an edge to their tone as they sat in one of the chairs while Moblit remained standing behind them.

“Well, I just gave Eren the guitar that the villagers wanted him to have. He needs it to keep himself entertained while staying inside the camp for days on end.” There was a subtle dig in Levi’s words and this did not escape Hanji who gently shook their head.

“Now, Officer Levi, we have talked about—“ But Levi immediately cut them off.

“I know that. I’m just sharing what I experienced before when Erwin made me do all the paperwork for weeks. I can understand what Eren is going through right now.” Levi tilted his head towards Eren who just sat there perplexed while watching the heated exchange between the two senior Scouts. Hanji pointedly looked at Eren before speaking.

“Uhm, maybe you should go to bed now, Eren.” Eren immediately stood up and saluted in reverence to his Senior officers.

“Yes, Major Hanji. See you tomorrow, Officer Levi and Sergeant Moblit.” Hanji stood up and waited until they deemed Eren to be out of earshot before throwing an exasperated look at Levi. Levi just crossed his arms across his muscled chest as he waited for Hanji’s tirade.

“What was that about, Levi? I thought that we—“ Levi waved his hand dismissively before sitting on a chair. Hanji and Moblit did the same on a bench opposite Levi.

“The kid was just thankful, okay? As you saw earlier, I did not hug him back.” Levi stated matter-of-factly but Hanji was not having any of this.

“But you let him hug you! You promised Erwin that--” Levi suddenly stood up, surprising Hanji.

“I did not know he was going to hug me, it all happened so fast I did not know how to react.”

“You could have just pushed him away.” A vein in Levi’s temple suddenly throbbed painfully as he felt anger slowly creeping through him.

“And hurt his feelings further? Can’t you see that Eren is already feeling isolated and rejected by everything that has been happening with regards to him? Don't you see that he is breaking up inside because he can't actually function as a Scout?" His words seemed to take out some of the anger from Hanji’s voice as they spoke in a lower tone.

“Well, he has been feeling down lately. He once told me that he felt worthless as a Scout and I also felt guilty for letting him feel that way.” Levi slammed his hands atop one of the desks sending several pieces of paper fluttering to the ground before speaking in a terse tone.

“This is all bullshit, Hanji and you know that. The kid had good intentions in joining the Scouts and we are tormenting him because of his asshole of a father? We shouldn’t have accepted him here in the first place if we are just going to keep him inside the camp. The kid’s potentials are wasted.”

"I know but you know the implications of Dr. Jaeger’s conditions were not met.”

“I know and I also feel like an asshole for being complicit to this scheme. I will talk to Erwin, I would look for another doctor to look after my mother.” There was a brief silence as the words hung heavily in the air in the room. It was Hanji who broke the silence first.

“Dr. Jaeger is the best doctor for your mother’s condition.” Levi scoffed bitterly before speaking.

“But he is the worst father to Eren.”

“Yes, he is.”

Both Levi and Hanji whipped their heads towards the source of the voice and saw Eren standing teary-eyed at the doorway.

“I—I forgot the guitar. I did not mean to hear your conversation.”

“What did you hear Eren?” Levi’s tone was cold and dangerous and Eren visibly flinched but still managed to reply in an even tone even if it was laced with bitterness.

“About my asshole of a father? Yes, my father is an asshole. But I did not expect him to be this manipulative just to get me back.” Tears continued to roll down Eren’s cheeks and he didn’t even bother hiding those or wiping his face dry.

“Eren, listen.” Levi started towards Eren but the younger man held his hands in front of him to wordlessly tell Levi not to come any closer. Eren shook his head ruefully and managed to speak even with his voice cracking.

“I don’t want to be a burden anymore. I don’t want my father to impose on you further especially since your mother’s health is at stake here, Officer Levi.” This time it was Hanji who stood up and spoke.

“Please, Eren, sit down, and listen first." But Eren was already too upset to be pacified and just shook his head forcefully and spoke bitterly. Levi stood helplessly watching Eren weeping openly before them while Moblit also stood glued to the ground.

“I have heard everything that I needed to know. Maybe my father was right, I would be of no use here. Maybe I should just go back to him so that you wouldn’t have any problems anymore.” Hanji stepped forward towards Eren but Eren instinctively stepped back so Hanji halted their movements.

“Eren, it is not like that. Your father just wanted to make sure that you are always safe. He just--” Eren scoffed loudly; interrupting Hanji’s words, then spoke in the same bitter tone.

“I joined the Scouts to be free from my father’s demands on me. Guess I thought too highly of the Scouts. I did not expect my father’s influence to be that strong but I also do not want to inconvenience you any longer. I’m leaving the Scouts.” Eren tried to sound calm and emotionless but the single tear that fell from his left eye betrayed his emotions. Hanji took a few steps towards Eren, but Eren kept on retreating backward, so Hanji just sighed exasperatedly. On the other hand, Levi was insidiously creeping closer to Eren while the younger man was focused on Hanji.

“Eren, please. Let us not make rash judgments here." Hanji pleaded but Eren just shook his head sadly.

“It would be best for everybody." Eren continued retreating but Levi was close enough to block the only door in the room and he stood there at his full height, preventing Eren from leaving the room in a hurry. Levi drew out a sigh before speaking to Eren.

“It would only benefit your father. Please, Eren…listen to me.” Levi finally had the guts to hold Eren in both shoulders to force the younger man to look at him. “We are not asking you to leave, we need you here.”

“You only need my skill to do your paperwork.” Levi chuckled bitterly that even Eren was surprised and was not able to speak. Then Levi spoke in a low but firm tone.

“You know that is not true, Eren. The Scouts need as many people as possible, skilled or not. Whatever you need to do, you can learn them here. You have seen how hard we work every day. The tasks are endless, and we always lack manpower. Everybody willing to dedicate their lives to a lifetime of service is welcome to the Scouts. Are you one of them, Eren?” Levi looked Eren straight in the eye even if he was a few inches shorter than the younger brunet. Eren looked away from Levi’s intense gaze.

“But my father…” Levi gripped Eren’s shoulder’s harder that the younger man winced in pain and was forced to look into Levi’s eyes.

“Then prove him wrong. Prove to him that he does not own you and he can’t manipulate your choices. Going back to him means that you have given up on your dream to be independent, would you be willing to be a slave to his whims forever?” Their faces were so close together that Eren could feel Levi’s hot breath on his face and he gulped audibly before answering.

“N-no…” Levi loosened his hold on Eren’s shoulders and gently stepped away from the younger Scout, putting some distance between them. Hanji and Moblit still stood transfixed into the ground.

“Then you have to make a decision, Eren. Choose the option that you will regret the least. We can’t change the past but we can choose what future we want to be in. But you have to choose your own path. Your father can’t choose that for you and neither can we.” Levi approached the guitar which leaned unnoticed in a corner and handed it to Eren who hesitated on accepting it. Hanji and Moblit just watched with bated breath at the scene unfolding in front of them. Levi spoke when Eren did not make any move to take or reject the guitar. “So, what’s going to be your choice, brat?”

Eren extended his hands to take the guitar and hugged it gently as tears flowed from his eyes. Then he looked up and saw the question written on the faces of the senior Scouts. Eren cleared his throat and smiled through his tears before speaking.

“I’ll stay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, it may seem slow at first but I need to establish a lot of things first. See you next chapter!


End file.
